


In Search of Pussy

by wellthizizdeprezzing



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Cat Puns, Cats, Eventual Romance, F/F, Fluff and Crack, Magic, Romance, Slight Crack fic, Tissaia has to put up with her, Yennefer is the worst cat ever, being transformed into a cat, but once they're both human of course
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:53:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 28,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24163927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthizizdeprezzing/pseuds/wellthizizdeprezzing
Summary: Yennefer turns herself into a cat by accident. She needs Tissaia's help to turn back, except the woman will not help. So, what's Yennefer to do now? Naturally, be as annoying as possible.
Relationships: Tissaia de Vries/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 326
Kudos: 422





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Just discovered this ship. Here are my humble offerings.

Yennefer is aware of the rules of magic, even if she's not wont to follow them. Which is why she is only mildly chagrined when the spell goes wrong and transforms her into something with four paws and a tail.

 _Oh wonderful,_ she thinks dryly because she most certainly cannot curse and spit like she would like to. Her dress has pooled around her and with a stiff stretch of her newly acquired limbs, she steps out of it and past the drifting remains of the spell that occur in the form of a mist of sweet smelling juniper.

Maybe, a small reasonable voice in the back of her head that sounds like an absolutely unimpressed Tissaia De Vries, this wasn't a good idea. Maybe, she had been too greedy. Maybe, she couldn't have everything even though she had given up the one thing to gain access everything else but it. _Those damned fertility mages are all quacks!_ She bristles, her fur rising. She'd gotten a spell from one of them that was supposed to help her regain her womanhood and all it had done was turn her into a cat! The man had swore up and down she'd be restored to a full pussy.

Though, now that she thinks about it, there's a double meaning to his words. A meaning she had not picked up on before because she had been so hasty.

Yet again she can hear the Rectoress's voice in her mind, scolding her for lacking control and tack in this situation. But could Yennefer be really blamed? The guy mumbled and spoke so softly she couldn't be bothered to figure out his riddles.

At least she makes for a pretty cat. A quick stock of her body in the reflection of the floor length mirror in her room details she's got pitch black fur, a slim figure, and violet colored eyes. She meows in disappointment.

How was she going to get out of this? She didn't suppose she could use magic? She tried to focus on the chaos swirling inside her, normally found there so easily. But, she could not reach it. Her feline body didn't have any magic. Whatever she'd had, it had been stolen, or kept from her.

There was no way she could get out of this. Not without some human help. She most certainly did not want to get Tissaia involved. The woman would punish Yennefer for this most egregiously. No, she'd go to her friends first and see if they could help her out. But as she padded over to her door, everything so high up and bigger, she found the door was locked.

Right.

How was she going to get past that?

…

An hour and several failed attempts later, Yennefer had given up and relegated to jumping onto her table, to the windowsill where she had left the window open to let out possible fumes and onto the ledge of the outdoors. The salty air greeted her, and with a forlorn sigh, she could not help but think how she did not miss this place.

It held many bad memories. Of pain, of humiliation. But it also held some good memories. Because this was the one place that had felt like home where no where else had. Tissaia might have been cruel and strict, but she had saved Yennefer from a life of being worth no more than a pig. She had helped her realize her true magic. And despite how much Yennefer had despised the woman owning her, a huge part of her didn't feel hate for her at all. And it was utterly frustrating, finding herself warring between hate and an unknown feeling. Yennefer accepted her hatred and anger. Cloaked herself in it. Powered herself with it. This other feeling was...something she was afraid to dwell on if only for what she would find.

With her new cat like abilities, she was able to easily walk the thin ledge, hoping to find an open window to another room. Whatever little luck she had left, she was able to find an open window. And inside it, Triss and Sabrina. She slipped in, landing with a soft thump as the two of them sat around, talking on their beds. When they saw her, their eyes went round.

“A cat? Where did you come from?” Sabrina asked, coming closer and picking Yennefer up.

Yennefer tried not to yowl in discomfort when she was buried in Sabrina's cleavage. Triss was right next to her, petting Yennefer on the head. She flattened her ears, very irritated with them. They shouldn't be petting her. They should be helping her!

“Are they lost?” Triss cooed before resorting to baby talk. “Are you lost little kitty?”

She wriggled out of Sabrina's grip, the girl giving a gasp of surprise. Yennefer landed on her feet and padded to the door, meowing loudly and cocking her head.

“Oh, she must be hungry,” Triss deduced.

Yennefer let out a yowl that was meant to be a no. They mistook it as a yes.

“You stay with the cat here, I'll get some scraps. We can't let Tissaia see it, she might want to use it for magic,” Sabrina said.

 _No, you idiots!_ Yennefer thought, screeching at them. Y _ou need to help me. Follow me! I'm not hungry! I am Yennefer!_

“Seems we've upset the cat,” Triss said hands on hips, Yennefer lashing her tail. They had to open the door for her, and follow out. Not get her food!

Just then there was a knock on the door and without waiting to be allowed in, Tissaia opened the door and strode in, nearly flattening Yennefer with the door. She jumped back just barely in time.

“Ladies, dinner is being served downstairs. We are free to go.” Her sharp blue eyes did not miss the new addition to the room. “Why is there a cat here? Which one of you conjured one up?”

“Neither of us did. It slipped in through the window,” Sabrina explained at the accusation.

Tissaia thinned her lips. “I will let it out then. We don't need any pests in here. It will distract the new students we have.” She scooped Yennefer in her arms, the black cat letting her. Perhaps, she might as well resign herself to waiting until Tissaia had her guard down and then slipping free from her to try and get Sabrina and Triss's attention once more.

“You're not thinking of using her for spells?” Triss asked, ever worried about the safety and fate of others.

“We have no use for one now,” Tissaia said, looking Yennefer over with mild disdain. Then, she closed the door and walked down the hall. Yennefer craned her head around, startled by the loud noises of the halls, and the many sights and smells due to her heightened feline senses. She reflexively snuggled deeper into Tissaia, this close feeling the warmth radiating from her. _So, she's not an entirely cold hearted bitch after all,_ Yennefer thought wryly. Her scent was clean and sharp, like ice with a hint of pine. Yennefer found it comforting in an odd way. She hadn't even known Tissaia used a perfume, because she'd never been this close to her.

Lost in her thoughts about the new discovery, Yennefer didn't notice they had arrived at Tissaia's personal quarters. The woman went in, Yennefer taking in the new sight. It was neat and ordered, something to be expected of the in control woman. It held a lot of touches of blue too. And it smelled even more like her. Tissaia sat down in her seat, setting Yennefer down on the desk before leaning in and observing her. Yennefer felt like she was being scrutinized. Like her inner most thoughts were being read.

“Yennefer, I know it's you.”

Oh. Well of course. Tissaia wasn't one of the most powerful mages without reason. Yennefer curled her tail around her paws, waiting for the berating to come. She wasn't disappointed. “I know you've been searching for fertility cures. I am simply astounded by the level of recklessness you've allowed yourself. Turning into a cat is shameful, even by your standards.”

Yennefer let out a low hiss, wishing she had the ability of words to convey her annoyance at Tissaia's uppity behavior.

Tissaia is merely amused by this, given the slight arching of her brow. “Part of me thinks you should spend some time as a cat to finally knock some sense into that head of yours. The other part thinks I should help you and let you be out of my hair. However, I have more important things to do than to clean up your messes, and I am very busy at the moment with meetings with the Chapter. So, I think it shall have to be waiting.”

Yennefer lashes her tail angrily and reaches out a paw to snag onto Tissaia's dress sleeve as she rises to leave in order to keep her there. This conversation isn't over! Yennefer misses and is rewarded with a sharp look. “I will not stand this catty behavior.” And then Tissaia leaves.

Yennefer yowls and hisses and screeches at Tissaia to come back. Did the woman just dare to make a joke at her expanse?! Yennefer threw herself at the door but it was closed. Violent eyes gleaming angrily, she surveyed the rest of the room. She was stuck here, and she didn't have her magic. But that didn't mean she couldn't do something to show Tissaia just how displeased she was with all this.

If a cat could laugh maniacally, it would be doing so now. All Yennefer could do in exchange was cough up a hair ball.

Ugh.


	2. Chapter 2

Tissaia comes back to a room that has been vandalized, absolutely _desecrated_ , by Yennefer the cat. And Yennefer is lying, smug as hell and without a single concern, right on top of the mess of Tissaia's ripped up clothes like it were some throne. There are claw marks down the wall, the bookshelves. Curtains have been ripped, pillows gutted and the sheets thrown off. Several books had been knocked off from their shelves and had their pages and covers ruined. And the desk has had an ink well destroyed and allowed to soak into the wood, staining it. It had been a lot of work to do this, and Yennefer's cat joints ached. But she was satisfied with herself and with her work.

Tissaia's eyes flare in anger, breath sharp, but she pushes it all down deep inside her, forcing herself to be in control. In a cool, displeased voice she asks, the cat who looks like they have all the cream, “what happened?”

She's fully aware she's talking to a cat, who can't talk back. Yennefer merely gives off a mrrow that seems like a laugh. It makes Tissaia's blood boil. It's not like she cannot use magic to undue all this. She can, it will merely take some time to do so. But the audacity of her former student to do this is appalling. Especially to her own chambers, which she holds sacred as they are her one piece of respite from this place.

Magic dances across her fingers and she is tempted to go to Yenn's room and return her back to human form so she can put some sense into her thick head. At least argue with her, without it being one sided or animal abuse.

“Never mind,” she nearly growls out, waving a hand and the books fix themselves and fly back up to their shelves. The rest of the room begins to recover too. “I am not afraid of your antics. You are merely a cat. I, a fearsome sorceress. You will wait to be returned to your human form. There is nothing else you can do.”

 _Well,_ Yennefer narrowed her eyes. They would see about that. If mayhem didn't work then maybe seduction would. Yennefer was known, after all, for her seductive qualities. Many a person had fallen into bed for this reason. Planning for the long term, Yennefer curled up her head on her paws as Tissaia continued to clean up the room. An errant feather went floating by and Yennefer's head shot up, eyes going wide. Immediately she pounced on it, trapping it between her claws. She then turned onto her back to throw it up and catch it again, letting all four legs kick playfully.

She was so into it, even going so far as to chew on it, that she didn't notice Tissaia being amused at her expanse.

Yennefer made an 'I can't believe I've done this face', and promptly got up and left the feather behind as if it had betrayed her into doing this. Embarrassed she decided to find a dark spot under Tissaia's desk and stay there, until she could come up with a good enough plan. However, it was rather late in the day, the sky outside dark. She yawned, her tongue curling around her ivory canines. Maybe she should take a nap? Scheme tomorrow when she had more energy?

She could hear the sounds of Tissaia sliding into her newly fixed bed now and Yennefer slunk out from under the desk. She was tired and that bed looked mighty soft. Quietly, she bunched up her haunches and jumped in. Immediately, Tissaia's head shot up. “You are not staying in my bed.”

Yennefer rolled her eyes and laid down on a cool spot by the pillows, ignoring the imperial tone.

“Yennefer...” Tissaia trails off before huffing and allowing her head to rest back down, and turning her back on Yennefer. “I am not arguing with a cat,” she says this, but it sounds more like she is speaking to herself.

Triumphant, Yennefer curls in on herself and goes to sleep. She awakens the next morning, laying on Tissaia's rising chest. Somehow, over the night she moved to somewhere warmer, which happened to be her former mentor's breasts. So far, Tissaia had not noticed, still sleeping soundly. In the early morning light, the angles of her face were softer, and her brown hair was let loose, coming in waves. Yennefer had never seen her like this, with her hair down or with the mask on her face not in place.

A soft purr wanted to build itself in her chest but she ignored it. Yennefer yawned instead, and then stretched, making sure that her back paw caught Tissaia in the chin. The Rectoress sputtered and woke with a small startled gasp as Yennefer jumped off her chest and looked at her expectantly. She was hungry now. She hadn't eaten dinner last night. And she wanted to be fed.

She meowed, loudly.

Tissaia shot her a disapproving glare but got up, done with sleep for now as it was time for her to get up anyways. “I do hope you can behave this time. I'll go fetch you something to eat, but if you make a mess of things, I will let you starve until I transform you back.”

Yennefer only lashed her tail at this. Tissaia went behind her screen to change while Yennefer gave her shoulder fur a quick lick. There wasn't much that a cat could do, and she didn't quite mind having Tissaia fetch things for her. It was quite nice to boss her around for a change.

Tissaia emerged from behind the screen in a green dress with a high collar. She left without sparing Yennefer another look as if she wasn't even there.

Yennefer didn't know how much time had passed but Tissaia came back with a dish of milk and some fish remains. Despite how off putting the combination sounded, Yennefer eagerly ate everything up. And then, she waited for when Tissaia would return so she could enact the rest of her evil plan. Yennefer laid down in a patch of sunlight, soaking up the rays. With a full belly, and the sun on her back, she felt satisfied. In this manner, she ended up drifting off even before she was aware she had.

It was only when Tissaia's heels clicked into the room, that she woke up. The Rectoress had strode in, with the spellbook that Yennefer had used to cast the spell. “You'll be happy to know that while you lazed around, I went and got your things for safe keeping.” She thumped the book down on her desk. “But, I will not be fixing the spell. Not yet.”

Yennefer said nothing, just lashed her tail. That was fine. Tissaia had her plans, but Yennefer had plans of her own.

The plan was simple. Distract Tissaia from her work by begging to be pet. People had a hard time ignoring cats or dogs without wanting to pet them. Surely Tissaia was human enough to fall to the same charms. She waited until the Rectoress had sat down at the desk, taking out a piece of parchment to read over. Yennefer silently got on the desk and began to rub herself against the Rectoress's shoulder with her cheek.

“Yennefer, stop,” Tissaia said in warning. Yennefer did not.

“If you don't stop, I will make you stop,” Tissaia added as Yennefer purred enticingly and walked under Tissaia's chin, rubbing up against it with her head. Tissaia sighed warily and plopped Yennefer down on the floor. Yennefer merely hopped back up on the desk, this time sitting on top of Tissaia's documents.

Blue eyes hardened on her. “Yennefer...”

Yennefer turned on her back, showing her belly. _No one can resist giving a cat a belly rub!_ Yennefer thought. Except for Tissaia of course. The woman had a will of steel. She scooped Yenn up once more and dropped her to the floor. Then she picked up the document so Yennefer couldn't lie flat on it. Not discouraged, Yennefer jumped back up on the table, and this time, licked the knuckles on Tissaia's hand.

Tissaia made a disgusted face, quickly wiping her hand on a tissue she had nearby. “Must you be so vulgar?” she declared, shooting daggers at Yenn who mrrowed with laughter. Seeing she wasn't going to get anything done in some time, Tissaia resorted to another tactic.

Sighing irritably, Tissaia conjured up an enchanted ball that rolled around by itself. Yenn's eyes went wide and she yowled as she dove after it, running around the whole room to try to catch and corner it. It was only when she finally sunk her teeth into the ball, ripping it apart, that she realized she'd been tricked. She dropped the ball and glared at Tissaia who had finished for the day and was blowing out the candles, all ready for bed.

 _Damn it!_ Yennefer hissed internally. Her plans had been distracted so quickly. Curse her small cat brain. But, that didn't mean she couldn't have her revenge. Waiting patiently, bidding her time, she watched Tissaia fall asleep. Once the rise of her chest was slow and even, Yennefer jumped up, quiet as a shadow. She padded over to where Tissaia's face was, and with her tail, brushed up against it. Tissaia's face twitched. Yennefer did it again. Tissaia grumbled and sniffed. Yennefer passed her nose a third time. Tissaia sneezed so loudly she startled herself awake.

She sat up, confused, while Yennefer watched from where she had dove under the desk. Shaking her head and muttering to herself about spring allergies, Tissaia settled back down. Yennefer once again waited until Tissaia was asleep before sneaking up to the desk and grabbing the ink well in her jaws. Careful to not get any on herself, she went and dumped the contents of the ink onto Tissaia's white sheets. Then, she placed the ink well back and decided to go to sleep somewhere safe and secluded because she knew when Tissaia woke up, there would be hell to pay.

And she was right. When she woke up it was to a loud screech of indignation. Tissaia was up, and she was covered in ink. During the night she had rolled around in it, and even her hair was plastered with the stuff. Currently, she was tearing apart the whole room, looking for Yennefer under the bed or the desk or behind a bookshelf. She didn't think to look up, if she had, she would have found Yennefer lounging on top of the book shelf, tail flicking lazily as she looked proudly at her handiwork.

“I don't have time for this,” Tissaia at last angrily muttered to herself before composing herself once more. It seemed some emotion could slip through if it was early enough in the morning. The Rectoress went and got cleaned up before changing into her dress for the day. She also cleaned up the spilled and dried ink on her bed. Then, she was at the door, hand hovering over the knob as she spoke.

“I refuse to engage in your childish games, Yennefer,” the Rectoress said before closing the door.

 _We'll see about that,_ Yennefer thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I suppose updates shall be on Wednesday and Sunday.

Yennefer spent the rest of that day, trying to maneuver a way out of the room. But all the windows were locked, she couldn't turn the knob with her cat paws even if she could reach the knob, and there were no holes or cracks in the walls she could use. If she could get out, then she could get Triss or Sabrina's help, if they were still in Aretuza of course.

She tried yowling at the door for some time, but Tissaia lived in a part of the building not frequented often and even if someone did pass by, it seemed they were too afraid to go into the Rectoress's room to see what was making that pitiful noise.

Aggravated, Yennefer decided she would make a break for it when Tissaia came into the room. She waited by the door, ears pricked, and hidden from view. Her body was pressed flat, haunches tensed so she could launch right out the door as soon as the slightest sliver of Tissaia showed up.

She didn't know how long she stayed there, but long enough that she ended up drifting off again without warning. When she woke too, shaking her groggy head, she saw it was night time and Tissaia was reading a book by the light of some candles, in a nightgown.

Yennerfer let out a scream inside her head. Why the hell had she fallen asleep!? Was her cat body not good for anything other than sleeping?!

“I brought you some food,” Tissaia said without looking up from her texts. Yennefer looked at where the bowls were refilled with milk and some scraps of meat. Yennefer would never lower herself to such standards but her cat stomach did not care. She padded over and ate it, quelling the hunger in her stomach. Licking her chomps, she didn't know what else to do. Mayhem wouldn't work. Tissaia could just undo all the damage. Trying to entice Tissaia into petting her didn't work either. And neither did trying to sneak out of the room. But if it was one thing that Yennefer was, it was stubborn. She always had to get her way.

She padded over to Tissaia's leg and began to rub against her, purring and looking up, hoping to see the woman crack. She did not, not even looking down. So, Yennefer did the next sensible thing and gripping fabric in her mouth, snatched the slipper right off the foot that was hanging crossed over at the knee.

Yennefer bolted across the room as Tissaia gasped. “Yennefer give me back my slipper! You are being beyond puerile!”

But Yennefer merely dove under the desk. Tissaia did not bother to move under the desk. She lifted it straight up with her magic. Yennefer bolted out from her compromised cover and across the room. The desk fell with a loud noise as Tissaia spun around to catch her. So Yennefer jumped up the bookshelves, perching up top, the slipper in her mouth like a trophy. Tissaia put her hands on her hips. It was clear she was struggling to maintain her temper in this. She glared upwards at Yennefer.

“I could sell you to a witch on the street. She'd gladly skin you and use you for some magic spells,” Tissaia threatened.

Yennefer did not drop the slipper.

There was a silent stare off before Tissaia relented. “I will be the bigger person here. I do not even need the slipper.” She went back to her chair, taking off her other slipper so she wouldn't look mismatched. She went back to reading her book, trying to show how unbothered she was.

 _Well, that's no fun,_ Yennefer thought, and contemplated spitting out the slipper on top of the Rectoress's head but something inside her refrained her from doing so. She felt like maybe that would be crossing one line too many. Instead, she left the slipper up there, before staying and watching Tissaia with thoughtful purple cat eyes. Perhaps she should try the petting route once more? Tissaia couldn't hold out forever.

She slipped down from her perch and snuck up behind Tissaia, jumping up the back of the armchair and standing right next to Tissaia's head. It was astounding how amazing her reflexes were. Shame she didn't have the same as a human.

She meowed loudly in the woman's ear, startling her for she hadn't noticed that Yennefer was behind her. She nearly fell out of her seat and dropped the book. She glared angrily at Yennefer. “Don't do that,” she admonished as Yennefer mrrowed with laughter. Tissaia settled back down into her seat, turning back to her correct page. “Have you decided to stop behaving like a child?”

In answer, Yennefer nuzzled into Tissaia's neck. “Stop that. You'll get hair all over me.”

Yennefer did not stop, instead sliding down and into Tissaia's lap, spilling into it like black ink. She looked up at Tissaia, her violet eyes wide and trying to charm the older woman. Tissia's jaw clenched and she seemed to be making an internal decision. A very lengthy one because her eyes glazed over from being deep in thought. And then she sighed through her nose. “If I let you stay here, will you let me read in peace?”

Yennefer nodded her head. Good, her plan was working. She would slowly wear Tissaia down.

“Very well,” Tissaia said and sat stiffly, as if she didn't know how to deal with a lap full of cat. Yennefer found the position very comfortable, Tissaia's lap warm and soft. She inhaled her scent softly and before she knew it she had drifted off into sleep again.

When she woke up, she expected to have been ejected from Tissaia's lap. Instead she found herself lying on the bed covers, Tissaia sleeping next to her. Pleased and not understanding why fully, Yennefer went back to sleep.

* * *

Of course, this doesn't change anything. Yennefer still wants out of this room, still wants to be turned back into a human. But every egress is met with failure. Even when she does succeed in timing it right when Tissaia walks into the room, she can't leave. She runs right into an invisible force field that has Tissaia smiling in amusement. She's magicked the room so Yennefer can't leave. To show how much Yennefer appreciates this, she knocks over Tissaia's lit candle and the woman has to rush to save her rug.

In this manner, a week passes by. Or at least Yennefer thinks it's a week. Time is hard for a cat to understand. All she knows is that it's day and then night, and then a new day begins. She has no choice but to accommodate to the new life she has. She'd tried reading the spell book to see if she can undo the spell herself, but...she's a cat and cat's can't fucking read.

So that idea goes out the window.

Truth be told, it's sort of freeing being a cat. She doesn't have to worry about the world or what's going on in it. Her world consists of a room with four walls and of Tissaia's coming and goings. But while Yennefer doesn't have to worry about the outside world, Tissaia still does. She storms into the room one day, and Yennefer can taste it, taste the magic crackling in the air around Tissaia's shoulders even if the woman's face is a sheet of ice.

Something's wrong. And Yennefer wonders what. But Tissaia doesn't scream or even mutter under her breath about it. She just sits down at her desk and begins to scratch away at some parchment, writing a very angry sounding note to someone. Yennefer being Yennefer cannot resist, butting in. She hops up on the desk and meows loudly. It seems Tissaia is in no mood to deal with her, because she speaks immediately.

“I will turn you into an eel,” Tissaia warned as Yennefer came up to her. Yennefer didn't doubt that, but she could sense Tissaia's emotions. Yennefer had heard that animals could often sense things like this but she hadn't expected to be able to do the same. She meowed softly to let the Rectoress know she wasn't going to be a little shit, and that she just wanted to help. She wanted to soothe her.

She took small steps forward and laid her head down on Tissaia's hand which was clenched on the sheet of paper with still drying ink. She purred and looked at Tissaia with big round purple eyes. Tissaia ignored her, her jaw clenched until it looked like it would pop. But she had stopped writing, ink dripping on the letter and eventually the clenched hand and jaw relaxed. Yennefer let out a huge purr so Tissaia could know Yennefer was happy about this, and then the black cat nudged the hand with her nose so that it opened and then she ducked her head in so that Tissaia's hand was resting on the fur. Yennefer knew animals could be calming too. Often times she enjoyed watching birds flying by, or how dogs and cats chased each other in fun. She knew animal comfort would do Tissaia a good deal of help, if the woman would just accept it.

At first, Tissaia's pinky twitched, then her ring finger did, and slowly, by slowly, she applied some pressure and patted Yennefer on the head. She looked down at the cat, almost marveled by how small Yennefer truly was. How delicate. Yennefer had never struck her as delicate. She was a force of nature, and even as a cat she had made a mess on whatever she touched. But now, like this, all pliant and purring, she really was something that Tissaia would normally protect and fight for.

As she gazed thoughtfully at Yenn's considerate behavior, her fingers stroked in a downwards motion. Why was Yennefer trying to comfort her? Had her bad mood been this visible? Yennefer had never been good at reading it before. She just blew through everything without much consideration. Indeed, maybe Yenn's adventure into being a cat was doing her some good.

Tissaia's fingers got more confident as she stroked more, Yenn's purrs a constant noise of encouragement. Strangely, it was soothing. Tissaia could feel herself forgetting about Stregobar.

“I've never had...a pet before,” Tissaia admits after some time. Yenn doesn't stop purring. “As a young girl, we never had enough for one. Then, when learning magic, our teachers made us raise pets for a whole semester, grow attached to them, and then kill them as a test.” When Tissaia had become Rectoress that was the first ritual she had done away with, only because it had been so needlessly cruel. Her hands stroked Yennefer's fur thoughtfully. “Perhaps I should get one after you turn back into a human.”

She lifted her hand up and Yenn's purring stopped. “I...I appreciate your help today,” Tissaia said, because thank you was too hard to make it through her lips.

Yenn merely meowed at this and Tissaia wondered what she was saying. Could be a fuck you, for all she knew. More at ease, Tissaia threw out the angry letter and focused on something else. Yenn stayed on her desk top, her tail lazily flicking back and forth as the evening wore by, both of them at ease with one another like they hadn't been before.


	4. Chapter 4

Petting became a more common occurrence. Yennefer had to initiate it each time but Tissaia would pet her, or stroke her. On the head, on the back, or the belly. Her caressing fingers would turn Yennefer into a puddle of fur. She just felt content. Ah, to be a cat was to be so easily pleased. She could just forget about everything in the world except how much these massages made her feel zen.

And they made Tissaia happy too. She was more relaxed about Yennefer, and showing her some affection helped her with any stress she might incur during the day. Yennefer eventually became content not to turn back into a human. There was no rush, after all, and she felt a warmth inside her chest that would not go away when Tissaia showed her the barest hint of affection or emotion. And she felt like they had crossed into new territory, one in which Yennefer was closer to Tissaia than ever before. And not just because she regularly accepted belly rubs from the Rectoress but because they spent a lot of time together in privacy. Young Yennefer would have loved to know more about the Rectoress, hear the stories of her past. But the one time she could, she couldn't speak. Instead, they sat in comfortable silence as Yennefer waited patiently for Tissaia to turn her back into a human. Though it seemed the Rectoress was in no hurry either.

“I looked over the spell. The effects don't seem to be permanent. I assume this means they will eventually fade with time, but that a counter potion to speed up the process of it wearing down, can be made,” Tissaia had told Yennefer as they sat in front of a blazing hearth, Yenn on her lap, looking into the flames. She flicked her ear to convey she had heard this as Tissaia's pointer finger and thumb massaged Yenn's neck.

“Would you like me to make it? Meow once for yes, twice for no.”

Yenn meowed once. No one knew how long the effects would take to wear off, and cat's didn't live very long did they, even if she was technically a witch cat.

“I'll have to go to town to get the ingredients. You can come with me.”

Yenn's head jerked up at this, shocked that the Rectoress was allowing her to do such a thing.

Tissaia looked tempted into rolling her eyes but did not. “I figured you've stayed indoors long enough. Some fresh air might do you good. Who knows, it might even trigger your change. Just don't get cheeky and try to run away because I _am_ helping you and you should have no need of others help.” That bit almost sounded affronted, and yet oddly possessive of Yenn's time. 

Yennefer bobbed her head in understanding. She wanted to know when this trip would be, but she knew better than to ask since she couldn't speak anyways. And Tissaia was busy, so Yennefer would content herself with waiting since there was nothing else she could do with her feline body.

Yennefer yawned and Tissaia noticed. “Well, off to bed now. It's grown quite late.” Indeed it had, judging by the position of the moon in the window. Yennefer hopped off as Tissaia went to the bed. Yennefer padded after her, finding her familiar spot by Tissaia's head on the pillows.

It was funny how quickly they adjusted to things now that Tissaia let it be. Yennefer spends each night in the bed and she spends each day being petted and doted on. It's suffice to say that Tissaia has grown a soft spot for her now that they're no longer quibbling.

“Good night Yenn,” Tissaia says, sliding under the covers, as she spins her wrists the fire goes out, leaving the room dark. Yenn meows a good night back and settles in for another night of good sleep, the best sleep she's had ever since she Ascended.

The only thing beside Tissaia's duties that get in their way of spending time together, is Vilgefortz. Yennefer has never hated him more for taking their precious student teacher time away then when he's around. Apparently he's here on Chapter business. And that business must mean getting into Tissaia's knickers because he is fucking insistent.

Yennefer just wishes he would get the hint and go. But he is as persistent as he is arrogant. “My, Tissaia De Vries,” he greets, bowing his head slightly to her in a playful manner. “I must say this room has gotten warmer ever since you came in, don't you think?”

Yennefer stuck out her tongue and gagged on the comment, watching in distaste from her perch above the door.

Stoically and without batting an eye, Tissaia replies, “you were the one who entered the room not I. Perhaps you ought to step outside to cool down a bit.”

He stuttered a bit. “Oh no, that's not what I- I wouldn't-”

She arched a brow and he stopped spluttering. “Anyways, I just wanted to check in with you and tell you I'll be here for about a month on business. I hope we can work together.”

“Hm,” she hummed and went back to her notes. Knowing he was dismissed, he passed by Yennefer to go out and she hissed down at him. He jolted when all he could make out was a pair of violet eyes staring at him down from the darkness. “I think you might have a pest problem,” Vilgefortz stated, hand on his hip as if reaching for a blade that he forgot he didn't have. 

Tissaia didn't even bother to pick up her head. “It's just a cat. Don't mind it.”

“Right,” he swallowed and still watching Yenn, crossed the threshold and left the room.

This wouldn't be the last of him. Each time he came to visit Tissaia on 'business' which was mainly him rehashing the meetings, he would take the chance to flirt with her.

“Do you have a healing spell? I think I scrapped my knee falling for you,” was one attempt.

“Did you not learn healing spells during your academics?” was the slightly scalding response.

He seemed a bit taken aback by this but rebounded. “But I did learn a lot about important dates in history. Want to be one?”

“Are you calling me old?”

“No, the opposite,” he said with an awkward chuckle. “Your eyes, remind me of the ocean. I wouldn't mind getting lost in them.”

“The ocean is no place to get lost, and neither is it amusing to joke about such a thing. Now, about the Chapter's new suggestions...”

Each conversation would go something in this manner.

Yennefer did not know how Tissaia could sit there and not have any reaction to them. She just gave him a flat look each and every time. Yennefer almost felt bad for him, watching him squirm under the Rectoress's cool gaze. It was made even funnier by the fact he thought he could get her with lines that usually worked on the dull minded and easily impressed. Tissaia was none of those, Yennefer should know.

Vilgefortz turned out to be one stubborn man. Eventually, even Tissaia reached the end of her rope. And after one bad meeting with him, she turned to Yennefer who had hissed to usher him out of the room faster.

Tissaia and Yennefer exchange a look. Almost, as if reading each others minds, Tissaia nodded her head minutely. “You have my full permission to hunt that idiot down and show him the wrath of your pussy.”

Yennefer looked wildly at Tissaia. Had the Rectoress- had she really said such a vulgar- had she made another _pun_? Tissaia had turned back to her papers but felt Yennefer's questioning gaze on her. She arched a brow, as if debating what Yennefer was waiting for. “Cat got your tongue? No longer eager to be a little tornado on four paws?”

Two puns in on day? No one would ever believe Yennefer if she told them Tissaia enjoyed puns. Yennefer didn't say anything to this, just got up, stretching each leg down to the paw. She had a mission to complete: Getting Vilgefortz to fuck off.

* * *

Cat's are predators. As such they posses the skill and ability to track down prey. Which is exactly what Yennefer was going right now. She followed Vilgefortz all over the school, slinking in the shadows, eavesdropping on his conversations, which to her disgust, she found were all suggestive towards women.

 _Jerk,_ she thought, swallowing down an irritated hiss. He was a true pig if he thought this behavior was okay. Still, she waited, knowing that she had to patient and not spring into action too early. Eventually night came and he retired to his chambers. Yenn slipped in behind him, the man not even noticing her as she pressed herself flat against a wall and watched him go to bed.

His loud snoring eventually indicated he was asleep, only the thunder of the storm outside louder than it. It was raining pretty hard and the wind howled outside. Yennefer, quiet and sleek, crept up to his bed, carefully pressing her paws down the length of his body until she was sat on his chest, tail curled around her paws. He finally seemed to notice the weight of her, because he stirred, his breathing rising in pitch. “What?” he muttered out drowsily as lightening flashed, illuminating Yenn's form. She hissed and shrieked as thunder boomed. Sliding out her claws, she leapt at his face and he screamed.

* * *

The next morning found Yennefer back in Tissaia's room, like nothing had happened at all. “So, was it done?” Tissaia asked and Yennefer had only managed to nod her head when she heard the lumbering footsteps of the man in question.

“Good morn-” Vilgefortz blanched when he saw Yenn sitting on Tissaia's desk like a sentry, licking a paw and swiping it behind her ear. He froze and could not stop staring at the cat. The marks on his face where still there, but pale because of the magic used to heal them.

“Hello, Vilgefortz,” Tissaia said from behind her desk. “What would you like to discuss today?”

“Um, nothing, nothing,” and he quickly backed out of the room.

Now, he wouldn't dare to enter the room whenever Yennefer was there, which was all the time. He'd dip back out and eventually he stopped coming by at all, much to both the women's relief.

“As a treat,” Tissaia said, filling up Yennefer's bowl with deluxe food. “For the help and peace of mind you've given me.”

Yennefer purred happily and ate up the luxury cat food gratefully, and then she settled down on Tissaia's lap where she reached many satisfying pats on the head.


	5. Chapter 5

Tissaia set down a basket in front of Yennefer who picked her head up from where she'd been licking her paw. The idea of licking fur normally would have disgusted her, but her cat instincts screamed at her to lick herself all over. It was really annoying. Fur didn't even taste good.

“This is the basket we're going to use to pick up those ingredients for your potion,” Tissaia continued on, realizing that Yennefer couldn't ask about the basket's purpose herself. “I've looked in our stores but I don't want to deplete them. Our students need them. So, I'll be spending my own personal money to help you. And, you are to stay inside it when we go out. Am I clear?”

Yennefer nodded her head before yawning. She had no need to get out of it if they were finally making the potion for her. “Go on then, inside,” Tissaia shooed Yennefer who entered the basket and curled around herself. The material of it poked her skin but she didn't complain. Tissaia picked up the basket and then summoned a portal that would take them right to the market. Yennefer's head popped out of the basket as she took in the myriad of new smells that her cat senses felt. Everything was more nuanced and she sneezed, shaking her head to deal with the new scents. The basket swayed up and down with Tissaia's gait, the woman donning a blue cloak for the walk despite the sun being out. The market was full of people and wonderful scents of meat sizzling on an open fire greeted Yenn's nose. She perked her ears, hunger peaked. Tissaia noticed this reaction. She chuckled.

“I'll buy you some later if you don't cause a fuss during our shopping trip.”

Our shopping trip. Yenn couldn't help the small purr that fell from her mouth at this. How many people had this honor of doing something so mundane with the Rectoress? Yenn was getting to experience new sides of her. The soft sides like when Tissaia doted on her, or let her sleep by her side.

They stopped by the first stall, the exchange going fairly quickly when Tissaia asked for gallbladder for the potion. Ew, the potion sounded like it would taste gross.

They then went to the second stall, and a third, the tantalizing smell of meat getting stronger. Yenn's stomach growled and her sharp cat eyes flitted back and forth from the stall that had meat on it. Tissaia was currently arguing with one of the stall owners because he wanted to up-charge her for the cost of Newt's Eye. Surely, Yenn could snag that meat and be back in the basket before Tissaia or the man whose meat that was, noticed.

She jumped out of the basket, making sure to not crush the herbs accumulated inside it. She padded over, sneaking past people's feet, careful not to be crushed. The ground was dusty and she could feel it beginning to coat her paws. Ugh, she wished she had shoes or something to wear.

She got to the stall and bunched her hind legs so she could get extra distance as she jumped up. The man was facing the front, taking money from a customer. He had a few pieces of meat sizzling in the back where Yenn was. When he wasn't looking, she darted past and snatched up the closest piece in her jaws. It was hot and she nearly screeched out in pain as it burned her jaws. She was a bit weighed down and she jumped down, hurrying back to her basket so she could drop it off there and enjoy it.

But when she went back to the stall Tissaia had last been at, Yenn saw she was gone.

Shit.

She jerked her head around but she couldn't see the blue cloak anywhere. Her whiskers drooped. She tried not to let this bother her. She knew Tissaia couldn't have gone far. Surely she'd notice Yenn was gone. Yenn decided to wait by the stall that Tissaia had last been at. She dropped the meat at her feet and tucked into it, because she was starving and she might as well eat it. She ate from the side that didn't touch the floor, wishing that she could use her hands like a human or have a fork and knife or something. Eating off the floor was shameful.

But the meat did taste good. She was halfway through it when the fur on her shoulders bristled and she jerked her head up, eyes going wide.

Dog.

She didn't know how she could tell- it might be an animal thing- but she knew there was a dog here. Across the crowd, she noticed a brown mastiff sniffing around, clearly having caught her scent. Shit, shit. This was not good. What did she do now?

Maybe if she stayed really still it would not find her? As if hearing her plan, the dog's head swiveled and it's beady eyes spotted her. It's mangy tail waggled at spotting her. And then it ran right at her, barking loudly.

 _Fuuuuuck!_ Yenn hissed and booked it. Her smaller form allowed her to slip past people more easily but her legs were shorter compared to the dogs. He would catch her in no time! She had to hide somewhere.

People let out angry cries at being interrupted by the cat and dog chase, as Yenn wildly tried to find somewhere to hide. The market, which was stationed in a nearby park, was small. The line of stalls was ending, and some trees were coming into focus. Yenn could feel the hot breath of the dog on her back now. It was gaining on her and fast, even as she ran faster than she'd ever run before. She made it to the tree just in time. She sought refuge in the roots of a tree, slipping under and into the cool dirt. The dog ran right into it, baring it's sharp teeth and snapping at the roots. His paws scrabbled, ripping some of the roots loose and making more space.

Yenn flattened herself so far in she was a pancake, hissing at him, her tiny heart filled with fear. If she had had her regular form back, she'd just hex the damned dog. But she couldn't do magic and she didn't know how to fight! What a fucking joke! One of the strongest witches and she gets taken out by a dog.

She shouldn't have left that basket. Just as she winces and closes her eyes, the dog's jaw snapping a mere centimeter from her mouth, the dog is getting pulled back. There's some yipping from it and then Tissaia's voice. “Oh shut up you stupid mutt.”

 _Tissaia!_ Yenn's tiny heart fills with joy and she rushes out, covered in dirt and scared stiff, to find the Rectoress there, looking upset and dog found nowhere. “I told you to stay in the basket!” She said in a displeased voice, nostrils flaring in rage. Yenn had never seen her this upset before. “But you didn't listen to me. Damn it, Yenn, would it be impossible for you to listen to me at least once? You're not a human anymore. You're a cat. You're vulnerable! What if I hadn't found you in time? What if the dog had eaten you?”

Yennefer ducked her head down. There was no need for this tongue lashing. She knew she'd messed up. The fear of the situation was punishment enough for her right now. Tissaia sighed out when she saw Yenn's bowed and pensive figure. The cat was scared by the experience. It had been undoubtedly unpleasant. And while Yennefer was usually too stubborn or proud to feel fear about something- just charging in to do what she wanted- this time had been different. Because Yenn had realized how fragile her existence was in this form.

Tissaia swallowed down her frustration and fear. She had been worried about Yennefer. One second the woman had been there, and the next she hadn't and Tissaia's heart had nearly leapt out of her chest. Had something bad happened? Was Yenn in danger?

Tissaia had walked through the market, trying to find her and it wasn't until she saw a streak of black hurling through time and space, yowling with a mad dog behind it, that Tissaia knew what had happened.

Tissaia knelt down in front of Yenn. “It's....I'm just glad you're fine,” she said at last, in a much more even tone. And then she scooped Yenn up into her arms, feeling just how badly Yenn was shaking in her thin frame. The cat was covered in dirt that smudged Tissaia's cloak, but Tissaia didn't care for the state of her clothes. “Come, let's go home. I have all the ingredients,” she said in a soft voice as Yenn snuggled into her, clinging gratefully onto her with her claws.

Tissaia opened a portal and stepped into her room. “Wait here,” she instructed Yenn as she dropped her and the basket off on the floor. Yenn nodded her head, too miserable to be upset at being ordered around. The sound and sight of the dog still terrified her. She tried to shake it out of her head. Tissaia disappeared into her private room and when she emerged she had her cloak off and the sleeves of her dress rolled up. “Come, I've drawn you a bath. I can't have you all dirtied.” She picked Yenn up before Yenn could even follow and then took her to the bathroom where the tub was filled with warm water.

Yenn purred when she touched the warm water. It melted all her aches away and made her feel so much better. She allowed Tissaia to scrub her fur clean with different scented oils. “I'll make the potion tonight. Shouldn't be too hard or take too long to make. You cannot remain a cat,” the reason for that perfectly clear today. “Your natural propensity for being a troublemaker gets you into too much trouble that you have no magic to get out of,” Tissaia said, working the dirt free from Yenn's fur and then washing away the foam caused by the soap. Too quickly it was over and Yenn was wrapped up in a fluffy towel and cradled to Tissaia's chest.

Yenn felt safe now and Tissaia set Yenn down on the bed, removing the towel from her so Yenn's fur could air dry naturally. Tissaia folded the towel by the fireplace so it could dry. Then she sat down by her desk, unrolling her sleeves to cover arms again so that she could focus on her job. Yenn, jumped onto the desk, having noticed a detail that wasn't there before. She padded up to Tissaia's hand.

“Oh, this,” Tissaia said when Yenn nudged at the scratch marks. “The dog must have gotten me. I didn't notice.”

Yenn licked over the faint red marks as if to say sorry about them. “It's fine,” Tissaia said at last, pulling her hand away so she could use some magic to heal it. It healed quickly. “I'm just glad you're safe.”

 _Me too,_ Yenn thought and curled up in Tissaia's lap, feeling grateful to the woman.


	6. Chapter 6

The day after Yenn's misfortune with the dog, Tissaia woke up early to start working on the potion that would turn Yenn back to her human form. “This potion might not be needed, since the spell is supposed to wear off on it's own, but...given what happened yesterday, I think it's best we don't wait any longer.”

Yenn was glad at least Tissaia was no longer insistent on making her learn a lesson from this whole transformation business. Yenn was so over being a cat. Last day's scare had shown her that a cat's life wasn't so simple. Without her magic, she was at the mercy of the world. And it wasn't a position she quite liked. It reminded her too much of her youth.

Yenn meowed her agreement. She watched as Tissaia skillfully worked on the potion. Yenn liked seeing the Rectoress at work. She had a sort of controlled manner about her, where everything was always perfect and within her grasp. That there wasn't anything she couldn't do if she didn't put her mind to it. There was a part of Yenn that was jealous with the amount of control that Tissaia had. Yenn had always struggled with her impulses and her behaviors. If she wanted something she had to have it. She wasn't good with giving up, or letting things go. Yenn burned to ask Tissaia how she had learned to be like this. Yenn was certain that Tissaia hadn't been like this at first. Surely, none of the witches had before they Ascended.

But Yenn couldn't speak now that she had the chance to ask Tissaia questions and get to know her better.

“This might take a while,” Tissaia commented.

Yenn took this as an invitation to be able to leave the room to rove around. She jumped off the spot on the bed she normally curled up in and gave each leg a good stretch before padding out the slightly open door. “Don't get in trouble this time,” Tissaia called out after her.

Yenn flicked her ear in understanding.

She slinked down the halls of Aretuza. It was quiet this early on and so no one was up. She made no sound as she went down the hall, just wandering about. Vilgefortz had left back to the Chapter about a week ago which was great. She had grown weary of his presence and of having to stand vigilant in the doorway of Tissaia's room if he fancied coming in. Luckily she'd scared him so bad on the sight of her he'd fled. It was amusing. She let out a mrrow of laughter at the memory of this.

Perhaps she wasn't such a weak cat after all.

As she passes by the botany room, she pauses, enticed by a most wonderful of scents. It's sweet and yet minty. What is it? She's never smelled anything so good. She follows into the darkened green house, sniffing heartily. Her cat eyes easily adjust to the darker shades here. She noses through the plants carefully, finding the one that smells so good. It's almost calling out to her, as if to eat it.

Yenn considers resisting but she's not very good at impulse control and she's even worse at it in cat form. She opens her mouth wide and chomps down on the plant. It tastes even better than it smells and she chews on the leaf thoughtfully.

Hm, what could this be? Is this a herb only for cats? She swallows it down and then has another bite when she hears footsteps and darts under a tomato plant to hide. She peeks out, to see what it is. It turns out to be a fellow mage. One of the teachers. She must be here to check up on some things.

Yenn watches from under the plant and waits. The mage is moving very slowly, and Yenn huffs impatiently. Can she just go? Yenn doesn't want to get caught here. The academy doesn't necessarily know she's a cat now. She doesn't want someone to chase her out for being here.

As she's waiting her eyes began to droop. She's tired. She shakes her head and tries to stay awake. She doesn't want to fall asleep here because if she does then she'll probably be found by one of the students, or have to sneak out of a class full of students.

Eventually, just as Yenn's leg is going numb from laying here so long, the mage leaves and she comes out from under the tomato plant. She shakes her fur free from dirt- she doesn't want to drag any back to Tissaia's room. The woman is a clean freak. Yenn leaves the botany classroom and continues to pad down the hall, glad to be able to have free roam of Aretuza. She's safer here than she is outside. As she's walking, she notices a shadow zoom by out of the corner of her. She does a double take and looks at the spot where it had gone. But nothing is there. She shrugs it off as her imagination and stifles a yawn. She continues walking, when she notices the shadow again. This time it's ducked into an empty room.

Curious, as to what could be causing this, she pads over to the room. But a quick scan shows her it's empty. Huh. She blinks and shakes her head. When she exits the room, she hears a voice calling for her. It almost sounds familiar. Tissaia? She follows after it, going back the way she had come, feeling ever more confused. She meows in an effort to let Tissaia know she's coming, but the woman is nowhere to be seen. And soon, the voice stops, leaving Yenn lashing her tail in the middle of the hallway.

Okay, someone is fucking with her. Who could it be? Vilgefortz perhaps, come with a petty revenge? Her fur bristles and she lashed her tail angrily. If so, she wasn't going to be afraid. Not like she had been with the dog, her primal enemy.

She hears a laugh. Unpleasant. Taunting. She jerks her head wildly around. Who is it? It sounds like a girl. But no one is around. And then she sees a girl run from one room to another in the hallway in front of her. Suddenly the hallway seems much darker than before and thunder roars, lighting flashing through the windows.

Something is seriously wrong. She flattens her ears against her skull. So much for being safe here. Vilgefortz was going to pay. Her claws slide out. She wonders who else he's gotten wrapped up in his idiocy. She goes inside the room where the girl had run into. She found a circle of them, young mages, all giggling and whispering to one another.

“She's so ugly,” said one.

“Who could ever love her?”

Yenn's ears pricked in curiosity. Who were they talking about? As if hearing her, all of the girls heads snapped towards her and Yenn jumped up in fright when she saw they had no eyes just black bleeding mouths. They all began laughing, but it sounded awful. She raced out of the room and into the hallway. Except the hallway was no longer there. She was in a tunnel of racing whirling lights of many bright colors. Dizzying patterns that changed and spun around her.

What the hell kind of spell was this? Where the hell was she supposed to go! She wanted out of here! An instrumental jig started up behind her and she turned to see that everyone in Aretuza was lined up behind her, dancing wildly to the jig that was being played by Geralt on his sword while Jaskier had his mouth open as he sang only for flowers to be erupting from his mouth. Wait, what? What were the two of them doing here?

Okay something wasn't adding up. Now she was more confused than scared when Tissaia erupted from the crowd of dancers that were in the swirly hallway and pirouetted down to Yenn before bowing. When she came up from her bow she held a crown in her hand. It read 'everything' on it in gold lettering.

“You have earned it. Earned everything.”

Yenn reached out for it and found her hands and arms had returned. She placed the crown on her head and took a bow, pulling up her black dress in a curtsy as her human body was returned to her. “Thank you, thank you,” she said and everyone stopped dancing to cheer her on, clapping loudly. She smiled, before she linked her fingers with Tissaia's, pulling her to her. And then she leaned down, towards Tissaia's smiling face and kissed her. Tissaia tasted of mint, Yenn's eyes slipping closed as she kissed her gently, holding her softly. The floor dropped out underneath them as sank down into warm darkness.

* * *

“Tissaia, we don't want to bother you, but we found a cat in the botany class and we didn't know what to do with it. It's seems catatonic and we don't know how to help it.”

Tissaia's head shot up from where she had been at her desk writing a letter. She set down her quill and got up to see what Coral had brought her. In her arms she was holding what was unmistakably Yennefer. Tissaia let out an exasperated noise. Just one day of peace. Was that too much to ask? Seems not, not with Yennefer.

“I'll take the cat,” Tissaia said, holding out her arms. Coral gave her the warm bundle of fur. “What plant did you find her by?”

“The cat nip. I've heard cats get high on it, but I never actually saw a cat affected by it. Is it....is it bad?”

“The cat will be fine,” Tissaia assured. “I'll take care of her. Don't worry.”

Coral nodded her head, dismissed. Tissaia looked down at Yenn, arching her brow in amusement.

“You really cannot be trusted to go anywhere,” Tissaia sighed out. Yenn barely noticed, her purple eyes wide and unblinking as she stared up at the ceiling. Tissaia wondered what she was seeing. Must be something good. “I'd better get you something to sober you up,” she hurried to set Yenn down and make her a potion to help.


	7. Chapter 7

After Yenn came down from her high, having learned her lesson about eating random plants, she felt embarrassment and confusion fill her. She'd had those weird hallucinations and in them, she had kissed Tissaia.

Why? Why had she done that?

Did she...did she have feelings for her?

Yenn buried her head in her paws. Oh, this was going to get complicated. Suddenly a lot more things made sense if this was the case. But then what? What did she do about her feelings? Did she ignore them? Did she act on them? She wasn't even sure if there were only here because of how close they had recently gotten, and then would go away once she regained her human form.

Good thing the potion was made. This way Yenn would get to stop worrying about such things.

Tissaia was pouring it into Yenn's cat dish. When she was done she called Yenn over to it. Yenn hopped down and sniffed it warily. It smelled like nothing, the liquid a purple color like her eyes.

“Drink up, Yennefer. The potion should do you good,” Tissaia encouraged.

Yenn meowed in assent and then began to lap it up. She kept going until everything was gone and licked her chomps. The potion also had no taste. It was a bit odd if she was being honest. And she didn't feel anything. No tingling, no pain, no heat. She tipped her head. Had Tissaia made it correctly? But Tissaia was a Rectoress. There was no way she hadn't been able to make it correctly. Her potions always came out perfect. Tissaia noted Yenn's disappointed look.

“The potion helps wear the effects of the spell down. There's no immediate reaction,” she explained. “You might turn back into your human form in an hour or two. Maybe even a day's time.”

It was a waiting game, then. Yennefer sighed and tucked her head onto her paws, simply watching as Tissaia went about the room, getting ready. When she was all composed for class, she picked Yenn up and gave her a good look over. “Hm, no changes so far,” she contemplated, but did not look alarmed.

* * *

Those changes did not arrive at all. It was a week later, according to Tissaia, and still Yenn was a cat. “I know I made the potion correctly, so why is it not working?” she muttered to herself by candlelight, pouring over the book with a finger tapping her chin. “How long is the time frame of the potion's affects? I know it said some time, but just how much? At this rate it might as well take a decade,” she snorted, irritated.

Yenn let her tail run soothingly over Tissaia's forearm to help calm her down. But Tissaia was unable to calm down. It seemed she was taking this personally. “I'll look into another counter potion. Seems this one might not be working at all.” She squinted her eyes to read the fine print. “I can see what the fine print means now when it states 'results are varied'. I reckoned it was time limits, but it might simply be that the potion doesn't always work.”

Did it even really matter, if Yenn was eventually going to turn back to a human anyways once the spell wore of? But Yenn had no way of conveying this concern so she meowed softly and getting to her feet, nudged the cover of the book closed and sat on it, so Tissaia couldn't look into the book.

Tissaia arched a brow, trying to understand Yenn's actions. “Do you...not want me to focus on the potion now?” Tissaia asked and Yenn nodded her head before going to her empty bowl. She was hungry too.

Tissaia got up from her desk and filled Yenn's bowl. Maybe she wouldn't look for a cure now, as she watched Yenn eating, filled with a rarely felt affection for her. But she would look into it later.

* * *

“I do have to say, you do make a good housecat, when you're not busy making my life hell,” Tissaia admits, stroking Yennefer under her chin. Yennefer purrs and her eyes slit as she is adored. Cat's lived such simple and fulfilling lives, didn't they. Doing what they pleased, having their needs taken care of, and being adored openly.

Even Tissaia has a soft spot for them now it seems.

This is also the most praise Yennefer has ever received from her former mentor and it fills her with warmth more than the stroking does. She could stay like this _forever._ Held in Tissaia's arms.

Eventually, it became common place for Tissaia to take Yenn with her. One morning Yenn had made wide innocent eyes at her, mrrowing so softly and begging to be let out the room, that Tissaia relented. “But you are not to stray from me side. Each time you do, you only get in trouble. And I'm starting to think the saying curiosity killed the cat has merit to it.”

Yenn nodded her head, because she was tired of the room and wanted to stretch her legs. Tissaia carried Yenn in her arms to make sure that Yenn didn't run away or accidentally fall into some sort of trouble. Tissaia had begun to take Yenn with her on walks first, finding it no longer acceptable to keep her locked up in the room while they wait for the potion to take affect. And then over the week, Tissaia ended up taking Yennefer with her to other parts of the building and even class. In a way, it seemed Yennefer's presence had a calming affect on her. Word soon went out about the Rectoress's cat.

All the students cooed and wanted to pet Yenn, when she was first brought into the classroom. Tissaia allowed two minutes of this indulgence, Yenn forced to be cuddled and petted and cooed over before Tissaia snapped back into her strict mode and had them continue with the lesson.

Yenn shook out her fur because it had been flattened by the touches of eager students, and sat on the edge of Tissaia's desk, watching the woman teach. Years later and some parts of Tissaia's lectures on the powers and responsibilities of magic still get to her. Make her feel so in awe of the might of chaos.

Sometimes the students will sneak some bits of meat to Yenn and she happily gobbles them up. It's amusing in a way that they try to curry her favor when she simply adores Tissaia the most out of them. Sometimes as she sits there, lazing about, she thinks back to the hallucinated kiss and wonders how it would feel to actually be kissed by Tissaia, or to kiss her.

If a cat could blush, she would do so. How was it that she never blushed when thinking of anyone else, even salaciously. But when it came to Tissaia, even the fact of curling up next to her, made her chest ache and her purr happily. It was so odd but not unpleasant.

Triss and Sabrina, who were still here, helping out teachers, also took notice of Tissaia's new furry friend.

“You've adopted her,” said Triss, quite happy about this.

“What's her name?” Sabrina queried.

Tissaia gave a contemplative look as Yennefer laid flat on the length of her arm, while Tissaia's other hand was stroking her back. Yenn's tail flicked back and forth. Eternal petting, how dreamy. It was like people couldn't keep their hands away from touching a cat. “I haven't given her one. Would you like to name her?”

“How about Moonlight? Or Raven?” Triss suggested and Yennefer flicked an ear in disapproval at the lackluster suggestions.

“Sabrina,” Sabrina suggested and Yennefer rolled her eyes at this.

“I think I'll call her Piglet.”

Yenn's head jerked up at this as she looked at the Rectoress with violet eyes. Was the woman really going to call her...?

Triss and Sabrina also seemed confused by this. What an odd name for a cat.

“She has the same eyes as Yenn, and I did only ever own a piglet before. Therefore, I see it only fit to call that which I own again by the same name.” It was hard to read Tissaia's expression but had their almost been a hint of fondness to her voice?

“Well, she did respond to it,” Sabrina conceded as Yenn settled her head back down on Tissaia's arm. She didn't know whether to be offended or not by the name. It brought back memories of being controlled, of being owned until she outgrew the debt. But it was also a time she had felt like she belonged, like she was safe even when she was being hurt.

She closed her eyes, trying hard to make sense of her emotions for the Rectoress. There was no use in thinking on it now. She was a cat after all, and she had to get back to being human.

* * *

Tissaia even ended up taking Yenn to a meeting once with the Brotherhood and the Chapter. It was an extremely boring meeting. The people at the table talking about courtly politics that Yenn was glad she had long left behind. Tissaia for once did not seem to be getting involved with proving Stregobor's idiotic fallacies wrong, instead half listening in as she stroked Yenn's back while Yenn was in her lap. Tissaia was in no mood to get involved. If these idiots wanted to find out the hard way what she had been telling them in previous meetings would occur if they went about it boorishly, then so be it.

Yenn's presence helped calm her down from rising up and spitting facts at all of them. Triss and Sabrina next to her also seemed quite annoyed at the Brotherhood's claims but they knew it would be useless for anything to be said.

As Tissaia stroked Yenn, Yenn felt an odd tingling in her body. It came and it went quite quickly, so quickly, she wasn't even sure she had felt it. She closed her eyes and burrowed her head deeper into Tissaia's lap, content on forgetting about the sensation. Instead, focusing on how wonderful Tissaia's hands felt on her.

Out of nowhere, the meeting gets more interesting when quite suddenly, Yennefer transforms without much preamble or fanfare, and is straddling Tissaia's lap, naked as the day she was born. Their eyes meet as they stare at each other in mute panic. Both of them are shocked still, Tissaia looking up, hands helplessly at her sides and looking for all the world like Yennefer betrayed her somehow. And Yennefer is very aware that they're in front of a captive audience. Staring in horror, and trying to redeem this situation somehow, she raises up a hand curled up in a mimicry of a cat's paw, and goes, “meow?”

Everyone loses their collective shit.


	8. Chapter 8

Tissaia handles the situation with as much decorum as she can. Which, is pretty impressive. Sure, handling wars, battles, court politics, childish kings, running a magical school, or rambunctious students who are out to hurt themselves is a big enough deal to be able to do. But explaining away how a suddenly naked Yennefer is on her lap in place of a cat, tops all of that.

It forces Yenn to wait for Tissaia in her own room, that which she has not seen since this whole cat debacle. She can't sit still, overjoyed by the fact she's back in her own body, and pissed off that it had to happen in such a public location, bringing Tissaia yet again shame.

She could already hear Stregobor leading the dissent, complaining how Yennefer had turned out to be a shit student, only ever stirring up trouble. But she hadn't meant to cause trouble this time. Surely Tissaia had to understand that. She just hopes Tissaia can figure a way out of this that will spare all their dignity.

There is the turning of a knob; conversation must be over.

Tissaia enters the room, closing the door with a solid click behind her that denotes serious conversation, and Yennefer pauses in her pacing to wait to hear what she has to say. Tissaia looks Yenn over. Yenn clothed, and in her human skin once more. Then she strides up and reaches upwards, pulling on something hard.

“Ouch!” Yennefer jerks back. “What was that for?”

Tissaia is unrepentant. “You still have your cat ears,” she says with mild amusement though there is no humor to be found on her face. Indeed, that is true. Yennefer pats her head and comes to find two furry objects on her head that still sting from Tissaia's rough handling of them. She hurries over to a mirror she didn't bother looking in, because for once, she had been horrendously worried about the trouble she caused her mentor.

Normally, she wouldn't entirely care. Or maybe she would have cared a bit. But now she cares entirely too much. So she'd run out of the room so quickly and back to her own, putting on a dress she'd snagged off a hanger and then taken to pacing in worry, wondering if she should go out and help Tissaia or stay here. She'd eventually opted on staying here, given that she would have no patience for explaining this situation away to those idiots.

In the mirror, her expression stares back at her. She has two black cat ears and her purple eyes have that cat slit down them. “Fuck,” she curses quietly. She was supposed to be human, wasn't she?

“Seems the potion worked. Why am I not surprised it acted in that moment, causing yet another Yennefer debacle,” Tissaia sighs out, folding her hands across her stomach.

“I didn't mean to-” Yennefer swirls around and stops herself, shoulders slumped a bit, figuring it won't make any difference now if she apologizes, the damage has been done. “Oh, how did you-”

“I don't want to get into it,” Tissaia says sternly, holding eye contact with Yennefer. It must have been an unpleasant discussion. But it's all been cleared up and Yennefer is happy she won't have to deal with the mess. They look at each other before Tissaia's eyes cut away, a light flush on her cheeks that Yennefer thinks she sees, but before her suspicions can be confirmed, Tissaia turns her head away, heading for the door. “I'm glad to see you're dressed and respectable now. Your cat ears do worry me a bit. They shouldn't be here. But, we'll figure that out with time.” She pauses at the doorway. “I do hope you have learned your lesson after taking spells from strangers.”

Before Yenn can reply, she's gone.

* * *

“So, why were you really a cat?” Triss says as the three of them have supper.

Yennefer finds herself wanting to lick the food out of the bowl but stops herself just in time. “A bad fertility spell,” she answers.

“Still haven't learn your lesson, have you,” Sabrina sighs out with barely concealed humor.

“What did Tissaia say back in the meeting to explain things?” Yenn asks.

“Tissaia said it must have been a curse or something and that she was going to find out who had done this to you. She accused a couple of mages at the table for doing this to embarrass her and the school. Really ballsy of her. Stregobor looked ready to burst and Vilgefortz was laughing his ass off.”

“Ugh, I hate both those assholes,” Yenn growled out, though it was nice of Tissaia to pop off on the two biggest douches there. Granted they wouldn't take kindly to her threats.

“How was it like, being a cat?” Triss asks.

Yenn puts down her spoon, done with eating. “It felt...kinda nice. I didn't have to do anything and I got a lot of belly rubs. Everyone adored me. Though I was a little shit the whole time. I gave Tissaia hell and I was the one who scratched up Vilgefortz's face.”

Sabrina and Triss laugh at this. “No way. You did that to him? He was complaining about it to everyone!”

“Yea, well he was being a big shit. He kept harassing Tissaia and I wouldn't let him,” Yenn added, a touch defensively.

Triss and Sabrina exchange a look at this. Yenn doesn't like it. “What?” she asks brusquely. “What's that meant to mean?”

“Nothing,” Sabrina batted her lashes. “We just thought it was cute you were doing that for her.”

“She asked me to do it,” Yennefer defended, crossing her arms over her chest. For good measure she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“I bet you got real close to Tissaia too,” Sabrina insinuated. “Tell us, what she's like behind closed doors?”

Yenn's ears flattened against her head. “What are you getting at?” she asked, voice low. She wasn't sure she liked this teasing.

“Just that the two of you seemed awfully close, hanging around throughout the whole building. Did she know you were a cat?”

“Yes, she knew. And of course we were close. I'm a cat! Or I was one,” her cat ears flicked irritably. “Who can resist petting a cat? No one. It didn't mean anything.”

But Yennefer wished it did. How would the relationship between them pan out now? Yenn was so used to sleeping in Tissaia's bed. And staying in her room, curled up on her lap, receiving belly rubs and petting. A shudder went through her at the thought of one of those relaxing massages. She was instantly craving one.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Tissaia came into the dinning hall, looking as regal as always. She went straight towards their table, nodding her head in greeting and acknowledgment of each of their presence there. “Good evening. I trust all is well?”

Yennefer nodded her head, because she was still reeling a bit from her sudden transformation leaving her naked in front of a group of people she hadn't wanted to. Also, she had been naked on Tissaia's lap. Ugh, talk about doing something embarrassing in front of a crush.

For her part, Tissaia had not acted out of the ordinary about it. Almost like nothing had happened. Which was...kinda disappointing? Had Yennefer been hoping for some sort of reaction from her? Oh, god, she had. She was starting to pine, wasn't she?

She refused to give into the mortification of this situation right now, not with Tissaia around, or with Yenn's two nosy friends ready to pick up on any morsel of gossip to tease her on.

However, Yenn had zoned out when Tissaia was speaking because she'd been deep in her thoughts; as she came back to the present, she saw that Tissaia was talking with Triss and Sabrina, a touch animatedly. Lifting one hand up.

As Tissaia gesticulated, Yenn's left over cat instincts reacted. She ducked her head under Tissaia's open palm, rubbing her head against it as a pleased smile took over her face. Everyone stopped talking, and it wasn't until she opened her eyes that she'd realized what she'd done. Slowly she backed away, Tissaia's hand hanging still in the air. Yennefer's face went red.

“Um, it's not me. It's the remaining cat spell!” she blurted out before she left the dinning hall, trying not to run out shamefully.

* * *

“Are you alright, Yennefer?” Tissaia asked, finding Yennefer in her room, having thrown the pillows across the room in her mortification. The pillows had knocked over a vase and she was now cleaning it up, gluing the pieces together with her magic.

“I'm fine,” Yennefer gruffly replied from her spot on the floor.

“Are you? I'm sure it was a massive blow to your ego.”

Yennefer gave Tissaia a glare now. “This isn't funny.”

“The fact you still have cat ears or that you behave as a cat?” Tissaia asked, tipping her head to the side and watching Yenn with glimmering blue eyes.

Yenn's ears flattened against her skull. “I don't need to be made fun of. I already had a shit time this morning.”

“Yes, given the way you scurried out of the meeting, with your tail behind your legs.”

“I don't even have a tail! Not anymore,” Yennefer added more quietly, her concentration on reforming the vase struggling as anger flooded her.

Tissaia assessed her coolly, in that manner that Yennefer always wished she could read, so she could know what was happening in her mind. She could push the connection and break into Tissaia's mind if she wanted to, but she was also scared to know what the woman truly thought of her. “You know, if you had wanted a head pat, you could have asked me.”

Yennefer's vase falls apart as she takes in Tissaia's words. Is the woman being serious?

As she stares in stunned silence, crouched on the floor in front of the mess of the vase, Tissaia continues. “I admit, your cat form grew on me. And I was getting to be quite fond of petting you.”

Tissaia, admitting feelings? What is happening? Yennefer isn't sure if she's hearing this correctly. But she really wants that head pat.

“I wouldn't mind one,” she nearly mumbles, too eager to saw no, and Tissaia smiles before sitting down on her bed. She pats her lap. “Come then,” she says and Yennefer stumbles over to her, sitting down next to her on the bed before flopping down and onto her lap. Tissaia still smells so cool and sharp and Yenn buries her face in her lap as Tissaia's hand comes down to stroke her hair along with her cat ears. Each downward stroke sends a shiver down Yenn's spine. The deep need to purr builds in Yenn's chest but she can't purr anymore.

Ah, this feels so nice. Yenn's hand curls around Tissaia's knee to keep her in place but it's not as if the woman is leaving any time soon. They sit like that for a while, in content silence. And then Yennefer accidentally moaned.


	9. Chapter 9

She hadn't meant for it to slip out, but it had, and it's too late to take it back. Instantly the hand stopped, hovering questioningly over Yenn's head as the black haired witch's eyes opened wide and she sat up stiffly, horrified at her own body for betraying her.

Then she got up and left the room before Tissaia could question what just happened.

* * *

Yennefer took refuge in the library. It would be the last place Tissaia would associate with Yennefer and would not come looking for her there. Yennefer was not hiding shamefully, she just needed some space to think on what to do with this situation.

And no, she was not curled up into a tiny ball of shame.

Triss, who had been studying in the library, didn't seem to buy that of course even as Yennefer hissed at her. “Yenn come out from under the table and talk to me.”

“No!” Yenn insisted.

“You're behaving like a cat.”

“I was one for three weeks.”

“You don't have to behave like one now. Just tell me what's wrong.”

Triss' face was eager. But how could Yennefer tell her she had moaned on Tissaia's lap because her head pats had been that good and she possibly had feelings for her? It was mortifying to mention this. There's a rattle and Yenn looks to see that Triss has summoned a metal bowl full of milk for Yenn and is holding it out enticingly to her.

“I have some milk...”

Yenn's purple eyes flash and she lunges from out the table, banging her head on the way out and falling short of reaching the milk. She hisses in pain and rubs at the bruise forming on her head as tears form in the corners of her eyes. “That was cruel.”

Triss clicks her tongue. “Your own fault for being greedy. Now, tell me what's bothering you and I'll give you the milk.”

“That bribe won't work,” Yenn says, getting to her feet and trying to have some dignity. Triss arches a brow. Yenn grits her teeth, hands flexing. “It won't.” She insists.

Triss holds out the milk again. Yenn really could use a cold refreshing drink....”Fine!” she exclaims, “but I'm making it quick.” She sat down at the table with a huff, Triss sitting in front of her, waiting for the truth.

“I feel all awkward around the Rectoress now given how close we got as a cat and human. And now I don't know what to do with all these feelings.”

“You have feelings for her?”

“I don't know. I think so, but it's all so confusing,” Yennefer shrugs. “Maybe being a cat made me think all weird. She was really good at petting and that's like a guaranteed way to make a cat adore someone.”

Triss gives Yenn a weirdly sympathetic look.

“What's that for?” Yenn grumps.

“You liked her way before becoming a cat, Yenna.”

Yennefer scoffs, “what, no.”

“You might have hated her at the beginning, we all did in a way for her being so strict on us. But then we out grew it when we got older and saw she had the best intentions for us. But, you always had a different relationship with her then the rest of us.”

“Because she bought me. She didn't buy the rest of you,” Yennefer points out.

“But you've already forgiven her for that, many times. Given the way you come running to Aretuza every time she needs your help.”

Yennefer rolls her eyes. “I only forgave her because she gave me power, not because I am soft for her.”

Triss arches a brow. “You saved her life twice by now. And you scared off Vilgefortz even though she is capable.”

“You're saying I liked her for a while now?” Yenn sighed out. Maybe she had, and just hadn't noticed? She did feel an odd sense of obligation to Tissaia, even if their past was rocky, and even if Yennefer didn't owe her anything anymore.

“Yes, I'm saying you did. And that you should go for it.”

“You're encouraging me?” Yenn cocked her head. “That's a disaster waiting to happen. All my past relationships have been bad, and I doubt she even likes me. She just sees me as a cocky student.”

“You won't know that until you try,” Triss said with a secret smile. “What happened to confident Yenn? The one who seduces without batting an eye? You once held the whole court's attention.”

Yes, but things with Tissaia felt different. Yennefer almost felt a childish shyness. Still, Triss was right. What if Tissaia liked her back? She knew the Rectoress cared for her. Yennefer had to settle this.

“Do it for the sanity of your own mind, just to satisfy it. Once you find out, then you can rest more at ease about your emotions,” Triss suggests and Yennefer smiles. “Since when are you so involved in my love life?”

“Since I care about seeing you happy. I know you've never managed to be happy yet in all your lifetimes, and perhaps this might be the answer you've been waiting for.”

And Yennefer can't argue with that.

* * *

Yennefer comes prepared with her best arsenal of pick up lines. Lines that have worked on anyone, male or female. Strutting confidently, she heads into Tissaia's office, hips cocked and lips upturned in a sexy smirk. Even her cat ears are being all confident and shit.

“Hey, Tissaia,” she drawls, having not spoken to the woman since the Moan Incident TM. Tissaia looks up at her from her paperwork, expression smooth. “Did something happen? What trouble did you get into this time?”

It sits on the tip of Yennefer's tongue to argue back and say she didn't cause any trouble, not this time, but she swallows it down. “I was wondering if you had an extra heart, because mine was recently stolen,” she said, looking pointedly at Tissaia who got up from her seat.

“How are you still alive?” she said, the closest Yenn had seen her to opnely worrying, as she rounded around and pressed hand against Yenn's chest, feeling for her heart. Yenn made a small choked sound at the touch, one of Tissaia's hands on her clothed breast and the other holding the small of her back and tugging her closer in.

“No, you seem fine. Your heart's there,” Tissaia muttered to herself, before pulling away and offering Yenn a withering look. “Why are you wasting my time with your nonsense?” she asked.

“No, I-it was meant to be-” Yenn can't seem to catch her breath. So she does the next sensible thing and books it out of the room.

* * *

Triss finds Yenn under the library table once more. “What is it this time?” she asks, peering under. Yenn frowns, knees huddled up to her chest.

“She touched my boob,” Yenn says petulantly, like a child.

Triss blinks, confused. “Isn't this a good thing?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you upset?”

“Because she didn't mean it in the sexual way. And because I was supposed to be seducing her and not the other way around,” Yenn pouted, her cat ears flat on her skull.

Triss sighs. “You've got it so bad. How did I not notice this?”

“I do not have it bad!” Yenn protested. “I am _so_ able to seduce her. Why, I'll go seduce her right now!” she says and rushes off to try again and to prove Triss wrong.

Yennefer strides into the room of the Rectoress without much preamble, or without even knocking. Just swings the door right open. “There's something wrong with my eyes. I can't take them off of you!” she declares, determined to finally get it through to Tissaia her interest.

“That's odd,” Tissaia murmurs, looking up from her book. “Did you accidentally activate a sticking charm? Or an eye adjustment spell?” She got up, Yennefer frowning at this. That was not at all what she meant! Tissaia came up to her, cupping Yenn's face in between her slender fingers and dragging it down so she could peer into Yenn's eyes. Her blue eyes were considerate on violent cat eyes and Yenn could feel a creeping flush coming up her neck and to her cheeks.

They were so close that Yenn could lean in an inch and kiss the Rectoress if she wanted to. That thought made her blush even more. “Hm, your eyes seem fine. Nothing that could hurt them,” Tissaia concluded at last, done with her impromptu examination.

She let go of Yenn's face, finding the woman was blushing. “Are you alright?”

“Uh, it's just really hot in here,” Yenn lied, tugging at the collar of her dress.

“I'll put the candles out,” Tissaia offered, doing so. Yenn in the meantime gave herself a little bit of a pep talk when Tissaia had her back to her. She wasn't going to run away this time. She wasn't. She was going to get it across to Tissaia that she liked her.

“Tissaia, you must be exhausted. You've been running through my mind all day long,” Yennefer said.

Tissaia scoffed. “I don't run, Yennefer. Running would ruin my poise and I am much too refined for that. You should know.”

Yenn grumbled. Something told her this wouldn't be easy at all.


	10. Chapter 10

It was a week later and Yennefer was no closer to seducing Tissaia than she had when she first started. Was the woman made of rock? Did she have no heart? Yennefer was beginning to feel very discouraged. When Vilgefortz had tried and failed to flirt with Tissaia, Yennefer understood his pain now. It wasn't that he had been bad at it, it was Tissaia who was bad at it.

“I thought you were supposed to be good at this art of seduction,” Sabrina said, slurping up her smoothie.

“I am!” Yennefer bemoaned, burying her head into the crook of her arms. “I don't know why it's not working.”

“Well, you _are_ trying to seduce Tissaia. That's like seducing a rock,” Sabrina pointed out.

“You just need to try a different approach,” Triss looked at Sabrina's comment with some reproach but the blonde girl did not look repentant. “Try complimenting her clothing, maybe. Or her talents. Some women like to know their work is going seen.”

Yennifer let out a long sigh. “I suppose I should try that.” She didn't know if it would make any difference. “I had more luck as a cat, I feel.”

“Then turn back into one. You know the spell, don't you,” Sabrina suggested. Triss shot a glare at her for the suggestion.

“I'm not that desperate that I would turn myself into a cat for her affection,” Yennefer said, rolling her eyes and propping her chin up in her hand.

Sabrina arched a brow, like she didn't quite believe Yenn's words. “Aren't you?”

Yennefer sighed out heavily. “I'm not going to do it. I just got back my human body, and not even fully at that. I won't be turning back into a cat.”

“For now,” Sabrina said pointedly and Yennefer glared at her. Why had she bothered to ask them for their help? They were useless.

“I'll try the good old human way,” Yennefer commented and then picked up her used utensils and plates for clean up, and went to her room to plan. She had an idea. She was going to do a grand gesture to get Tissaia to finally see her feelings for her.

* * *

Tissaia was in the middle of a botany lesson when she felt a portal opening up. That was odd. There wasn't anyone she knew of that should be coming in at this time. Senses tingling, she cut off her own speech and ducked a head out of the room. Not only was a portal opened up, but it was right in the hallway. And it was leaking out men. Vile looking men. With scars on their faces and wearing dirty rags for clothing. A mage was at the head of them. A hood was drawn over his head, hiding his identity. He had opened the portal up to get to Aretuza but why? And how? He didn't have clearance to be here!

How had he gotten here? Who had given him the secret to breaching Aretuza's walls?

Never mind that, she had a school to protect and she wouldn't let some strange men tear it down. Aretuza was her life blood and everything she did, she did for the school. Inhaling sharply, she saw them draw blades, looking hungrily up and down the halls. She ducked her head back in before they could notice her. She turned to her students who were sitting there with eyes wide open.

“Stay here,” she instructed. “Do not go outside the door, no matter what. Understand me?”

The girls frightfully nodded their heads. “Good,” Tissaia said, calm as a cucumber, before she closed the door behind her and left the room. She methodically walked right to the middle of the hallway, hands folded across her stomach, and face neutral. The men noticed her.

“Ah, there you are Rectoress,” the mage spoke in a gravelly voice like he smoked many cigars. “Just the woman we've been looking for.”

The assortment of ten men behind him leered, advancing on her as the mage let magic crackle along his fingers. She exhaled lightly through her nose, more irritated than worried about herself.

* * *

Yennefer had spent good money on hiring a crew for what she had planned. She had spent the better part of three days wondering around town, collecting willing people for this task and then outfitting them with weapons and clothing. The mage had been easier to come by. He was some novice, hungry to prove his power, and what better way to do that then to fight the Rectoress?

Yenn had no intention of letting actual harm come to Tissaia. Yennefer had the brilliant plan that she was going to stage a fake invasion, and then swoop in to save the day, like a classic hero. And then, once Tissaia was safe, they would kiss. Because Tissaia would be so grateful to Yennefer for saving her, and the heat of the moment would finally draw out her feelings for Yenn.

Yennefer had read this all in a popular book, so it was guaranteed to work.

Right?

Currently she was busy dressing for the part. She had instructed the mage and his men to not arrive until a little bit past three. This would give Yennefer enough time to look stunning for the battle, and absolutely ravishing to Tissaia so that the Rectoress would finally show some spark of emotion that wasn't strict. Lifting up a black dress with a slit down the left leg or a black dress with a slit down the right leg, she frowned, unable to decide. Which one would look the better? The mirror held no answers.

Maybe she should flip a coin or something?

Suddenly she felt the telltale signs of a portal being opened up. She froze. No way. Those idiots couldn't have seriously- have seriously opened up the portal before the time she specified! Ugh, she knew she shouldn't have trusted those morons. She hurried to go intercept them and send their butts back to another dimension so they could wait. She doubled back when she realized she hadn't put on a dress yet. She hastily grabbed the one on the left and tugged it on.

Then, she stormed out of there, angry.

By the time she got to the hallway, her gait had slowed down to a complete stop. Her eyes went wide when she saw it was a smoldering mess and the men she had hired lay in disarray on the floor, unconscious or bleeding or burned. Tissaia stood in the middle of it, not a single hair touched. In fact, she looked like she had barely broken a sweat.

“Um....” Yenn gulped as Tissaia slowly turned to glare at her.

“Mind telling me why these men where here?” she asked, voice giving away nothing.

“Because they....were looking for trouble?” she fumbled, in total shock. She knew Tissaia was a bad ass mage but she'd never known just how bad ass until now.

“Strange. Your name seemed to fall from their lips a lot when they started getting hurt. Care to tell me why?”

There was no use in continuing the charade. It would just cause more issues.

Taking a steadying breath Yenn spoke. “I did this for you.”

“For me?” That truly seemed to shock Tissaia and she carefully made her way over the bodies on the floor as Triss and Sabrina poked their heads out of one of the nearby rooms, seeing that the coast was clear from enemies now and they didn't need to protect the students anymore.

“Yes,” Yenn said, maintaining eye contact. “I've been trying to flirt with you for the past two weeks and frankly nothing was getting through. So I took some advice from a romance novel and decided to recreate it. I figured if I saved your life, it might finally show you I care for you.”

Tissaia momentarily closed her eyes, needing a moment to absorb Yenn's dumbassery.

“Did you really stage a whole fake coup so that you could 'rescue me' and then, do what exactly?” Tissaia declared angrily as she stormed up to Yennefer, a tiny wall of fury.

“Well, you weren't actually supposed to hurt them,” Yenn said sheepishly. She had not expected that at all. She figured Tissaia wouldn't want to start a fight in the middle of her school.

Sabrina and Triss, who were watching nearby, slapped their faces in unison at Yenn's gay dumbassery. “Is this what you meant when you said you'd try the good old human way?” Triss asked wearily.

“We should have stopped her,” Sabrina said.

“I'm waiting for an explanation,” Tissaia said crossly, tapping her foot against the floor.

Yenn was floundering. This was not at all how she'd expected things to go. “Um...” she bit her bottom lip before deciding, fuck it, she might as well go all in. She was already in a heap of trouble. She leaned and kissed Tissaia. The Rectoress froze, not at all expecting this. Yenn pulled back, lips tingling from where they had touched Tissaia's own. “I wanted to rescue you and then kiss you romantically, like they do in the books. Because I thought it would finally convey my feelings to you,” she said in a low voice.

Triss and Sabrina gasped at the kiss, and both mutually and wordlessly decided to leave the room so Yenn and Tissaia could work this out.

The anger on Tissaia's face was gone now, instead she was looking at Yenn curiously. In a new light. Yenn began to grow uncertain under the steady gaze. She fidgeted, licking her lips and deciding she might as well leave. Her efforts weren't reciprocated. She should have guessed.

“I'm sorry for the mess I caused. I'll clean it up.”

But as she moved to leave, she felt slender fingers grab her wrist. “Is that it?”

Yenn turned back to Tissaia, whose lips were turned up in that smirk of hers. “What?” blurted out of Yenn, her heart pounding.

“For someone who staged this whole fake situation to kiss me, the kiss wasn't all that romantic.”

“What?” Yenn blurted out again, eyes going wide. Tissaia's hand came up to cup Yenn's cheek and then she tugged her face towards her, kissing her on her lips. Yenn's eyes widened even further in surprise. Her chest was ringing in elation. Tissaia was kissing her! She liked her back!

Her eyes slipped closed and she leaned more into the kiss, hands falling onto Tissaia's waist to hold her closer.

One of the men Tissaia had taken down moaned in pain, and began to rise up from the floor, but Tissaia didn't let him ruin the moment. She pointed a finger at him and he fell asleep. Then, she used that hand to run it through Yenn's hair as their kiss deepened.

_Afterwards~_

“You still have to clean up the mess you made,” Tissaia said.

“You mean the one _you_ made,” Yenn said cheekily, toeing one of the bodies on the floor.

“No, the one you caused,” Tissaia spoke sternly.

“Aw,” Yennefer groaned out unhappily. Scrubbing ash out of these halls would be a pain in the ass. Her cat ears drooped.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A chapter from Tissaia's POV for once.

Tissaia had thought that dealing with Yennefer had been bad when she'd been a rebellious hot headed teen who did not think through the consequences of her own actions. And then she became a cat and her impulsiveness grew even worse and more ferocious, shocking given her lack of opposable thumbs and magic. It was almost as if the Gods had blessed her with the innate trait of driving others up the wall.

Tissaia was as stubborn as she was old (and she was so very old. But if anyone asked she had not crossed the five hundred mark yet) and she would not go down without a fight. She was able to chafe Yenn's temper a bit, control her enough for her to graduate and get out of hair. And with cat Yenn, she had quite literally pet her into submission. Which, to be frank, she found herself enjoying. The fact of having an animal made her feel more soothed. She could count on coming back to her room in the evening and relaxing with Yenn's quiet purrs to show her pleasure.

Yenn was bearable in this form, and the two of them were able to get along better in all their years of knowing each other. It probably had something to do with Yenn not being able to talk. The hot tempered witch had a nasty tongue, wont to debate back or make cutting insults. None of them terribly bothered Tissaia, as she was the one who usually cut others down with her remarks. But, it was still irritating.

And then, Yenn had turned back to being human, but possessing her most feline qualities. Cat eyes and cat ears. Along with that damned cat curiosity and ability to strike up trouble easily. Not that Yenn hadn't been able to do that before, but now it was even more pronounced. And it was why, Tissaia rapidly realized, she would need to do something about this dual nature. Yenn could not remain cat inclined or else she would cause the very world to end.

In fact, she had almost caused that to happen three times in a span of a month.

It all gave Tissaia quite a headache to deal with.

_Incident One_

“Tissaia, how are you?” an elderly man said as he sat down in front of her desk. He was dressed plainly and his long gray beard was plaited with beads that ran all the way down. He was an old acquaintance for he most certainly could not be called a friend. And though her relationship with him had begun the moment of her inception, he was still yet older than that. She did not know too much about him, but what she did know, was that he was not a man to be crossed lightly.

“I am doing well,” she said, bowing her head slightly to him out of reverence. “And how are you fairing?”

“The people's prayers are good. They feed me well. And I return wealth back to their soil in exchange.”

“It must be so grand to be loved so easily,” she told him, tapping out the remaining grains from her pipe before refilling it with fresh tobacco. “I remember not long ago you feared you would cease from existence.”

“Aye,” he agreed, smiling at his better fortunes now. “I am happy that has come to pass me by. And how does it fare for you to be still so unloved?” he asked, but without any ill meaning. He knew how Tissaia liked being feared and respected, because it bred better mages from within her academy walls.

But before she could answer, Yenn had kicked in the door angrily. “She is not unloved! You take those words back right now!” she declared. She'd been eavesdropping it seemed, ever since she saw the mysterious man enter Tissaia's room. Tissaia would have been flattered by Yenn's protection, if she wasn't insulting a Pagan God!

“Yennefer!” she gasped out while the God sitting at her desk turned to look at the black haired mage with mild annoyance.

“Foul human, who are to interrupt my time with the reputable Rectoress? I am here on business that does not require your insignificant mortal interference.”

Tissaia could see the way each insult only made Yenn angrier. “Foul human?” she shrilled. “Insignificant?” she shrilled even higher. The insecurities of her past made these insults too hard to ignore or bear. Magic crackled to life in her hand and Tissaia feared for the worst.

“Yennefer, stand down and now!” she roared, jumping up from her seat. If Yennefer hurt this man, there would be no telling what damage would happen.

“But he's being so rude-”

Tissaia almost tripped over her feet to run up to Yennefer and tug her outside the doorway as the Pagan God remained seated. “You cannot do this,” she whispered harshly to Yennefer, looking up into her eyes and squishing her shoulders together as she shook her, like shaking her might evoke common sense to come out.

“But why-” Yennefer whined and Tissaia shook her head, her face stern.

“I will explain things to you later. But he is my guest here and not only that but a pagan God and if you hurt him, you will bring down the ruin of the world. So don't do anything. Just walk away.”

Yennefer looked over Tissaia's shoulder to where the man was sitting. “I could take him on,” she said casually, flexing an arm as she said this.

“But you won't, now shoo,” and Tissaia shooed Yennefer away. Grumbling, Yennefer walked away and Tissaia, letting out a relieved breath, watched her go to make sure she really had left, before going back to the room and putting on enchantments so that Yenn couldn't come back in.

“Now, where were we,” Tissaia said, smoothing down the front of her dress and trying to act like nothing had happened. 

He smiled at her. “So, I see you are loved too.”

Tissaia could not help the light flush on her cheeks that arose here as she sat back down. “I-”

“Oh, don't try to hide it. The young sprout thinks she can take me on, huh? Young ones are always so tough when it comes to their love, thinking they can take on the stars and the moon.” He waved a dismissive hand. “Don't feel a need to apologize to me for her actions. I got a riot out of it,” he chucked, before leaning in closer. “Now, let us finish our business.”

_Incident Two_

While the first incident had thankfully gone on without much incidence, the second time was more troublesome.

“Why would you open up Pandora's Box!” Tissaia yelled as several evil spirits floated around the halls of Aretuza, scaring the girls here with their shrieks and howls. Tissaia was currently crouching behind a desk as one green spirit screeched and threw objects all around the room that smashed and broke. Yennefer was next to her, because the second spirit in this room was vacuuming and the part of Yenn that was still a cat, was really fucking scared of it. But she refused to cling to Tissaia pathetically. Also, because she felt if she got into arm range of Tissaia, the woman would throw her as far as she could.

“Because I thought it was empty!” Yenn defended. “I know the legend of it, and I know all evils have already been released.”

“You idiot!” Tissaia admonished as they yelled over the loud sound of the spirits rampaging. “That was only a story. The actual box wasn't opened yet. It contains 13 evil spirits that if we don't get back in there, will cause the end of the world! Luckily, the walls of Aretuza are magically fortified and so they won't get out. We have some time to catch them.”

“What about if the windows open? Could they get out then?” Yenn asked, pointing to an open window across the hall in another room.

Tissaia cursed under her breath. “Quick, we have to close that window before they spot it!” And half crouched, she ran out from behind her desk.

“Uh, you go babe!” Yennefer encouraged her from her spot. “I'm just going to stay here.” She slowly curled up into an even tighter ball as the vacuuming got louder.

Luckily, with Triss's and Sabrina's competent help, Tissaia was able to capture all the spirits and lock them back up in the box she had been given to watch over. The damage to the school was minor and nothing magic couldn't repair. The damage to the student's minds, however, were more major and something magic wouldn't be able to fix.

Yenn could only offer up a sheepish smile as Tissaia handed her a mop angrily. “Clean this up,” she instructed less than happily and ears drooping Yenn complied. 

_Incident Three_

“Why would you touch it!” Tissaia exclaimed, looking extra stressed this time around. Did Yenn's cat curiosity not know when to stop? Hadn't she learned what touching things she shouldn't could do?

“Uh, because it's a ball of yarn?” Yenn said in disbelief as if she couldn't understand why Tissaia didn't understand. “It's just begging to be played with.”

“Yennefer that ball of yarn is time!”

“Uh, you're not making any sense you know,” Yennefer said, hands on hips.

Tissaia pinched her nose. “Yenn, that ball of yarn is not yarn. The strings are made of time. And you've just unraveled it! You could cause our whole universe to fall apart at the seams!”

Yenn's eyes got wide. “Why the hell does such a thing existent then?!!”

“Why the hell would you touch it?!” Tissaia shot back. And if she was cursing, then she really was mad.

“Because I'm part cat! I can't resist these things! Don't just leave them lying around on your desk!”

“I was gifted that for momentary safe keeping-”

“Well you did a shitty job of it!”

“-I would have done a good job if you hadn't touched it, why were you even in my room!”

“I was coming in to seduce you, you should have kept it hidden somewhere more safe!”

“No one in their right minds would have touched the yarn. It's just yarn!”

“This screaming is not going to help us!” Yenn pointedly out loudly.

Tissaia sighed and took a calming breath because Yennefer had provided sound advice, for once. “We need to ravel this together, quickly.”

Yennefer began to roll it up, with Tissaia, their fingers touching the glowing golden yarn that hummed under their hands. 

“No, not like that, you'll get the timelines mixed up!” Tissaia corrected irritably. 

“Well excuse me,” Yennefer angrily said. “I don't know how this magical bullshit works.”

“Then don't touch the magical bullshit next time!” Tissaia said just as loudly and angrily.

“You act as if it's so easy not to touch things!” Yenn shot back.

“It really is! Now shut up, so I can concentrate!” Tissaias ordered her as the two women spent inevitable hours, working on trying to figure out the continuity of their own world.

Exhausted, and many hours later, they slumped with their backs against each other, breathing out in unison.

“Do you think we got it right?”

“I sure hope so,” Tissaia said, tiredly. “If not, who knows the damage we could have done.” Tissaia promised to herself, she would find a way to revert Yenn to being fully human. At least then, she wouldn't be as inclined to ruin things.

Afterwards~

Meanwhile, fans watching the Witcher show:

“Huh? What is up with this show's timeline?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm afraid there's not that many chapters left in the story.

“Why is there an owl in your room?” Yenn inquired once she had entered Tissaia's private quarters.

“She's not just an owl. She's a poly-morph, named Philippa. I brought her in so she could teach you how to shapeshift.”

The owl hooted in confirmation of this as Tissaia stroked it's head. Yenn couldn't help the jealousy rising in her stomach at the sight of this. Tissaia was only allowed to pet her, damn it! What did she have to do around here to get the head pats she deserved? Win the battle of Sodden all over again?

“Shapeshift?” she questions instead, suffering down her jealous rage.

“Yes. I figured since you've spent some time in a cat form, and because there is no way to get rid of your cat ears otherwise, that if you learned to control chaos to allow you another form, then perhaps you could learn to switch between cat and human form smoothly and not be stuck in an odd in between phase.” And not nearly ruin the world three times over, is the unspoken sentiment they both are only too aware of.

It wasn't a bad idea. Learning to have another form could be useful and it wasn't like being a cat had been all that terrible. Because namely it would allow Yenn to fit comfortably in Tissaia's lap and be petted by her once more.

“Philippa here is a good teacher as she has mastered her owl form quite easily,” Tissaia said, and she was still petting the owl's head! Yenn swallowed back a hiss of frustration. “And, I think your personalities should work quite well. She's a hoot, really.”

Yenn's mouth fell open. Owl puns, now, was it.

Before Yenn could point this out, there was a puff of smoke and a woman sat on the desk where the owl had once been. She was a brunette with hair in two pigtails down her sides. Tissaia's hand fell away from her and the Rectoress rose from her seat. “I'll leave you two to it. Don't make a mess of my office.”

“No promises, Arch Mistress,” Philippa said with a wink as the Rectoress left the room to attend to her matters. Philippa then turned her attentions to Yennefer. “I am, in fact, quite a hoot. Nice ears by the way.”

Yenn's ears flattened against her skull. “Whatever. Can we just get on with the lessons?”

“Sure,” Philippa nodded her head. “If you can find me first.” And then she turned back into her owl form and with a hoot, flew out the window. Yenn stood there, gaping a bit in indignation. What the heck! Grumbling to herself, because she was stuck with a child for a teacher, she decided to nevertheless go find her because she didn't want to disappoint Tissaia.

Which is how Yennefer found herself on the roof of Aretuza, stumbling across the shingles and trying not to look down. She was hella high up and she didn't know any magic that would stop her if she fell. So she didn't want to fall. Philippa sat perched on top of the wind vain, big eyes unblinking at her. There was amusement in them, at watching Yenn's plight.

“Come on you giant flying rat,” Yenn muttered under her breath. “Let's end this game already. I don't see the point of it.” She had chased Philippa all over the school and she was tired not to mention losing her patience.

Philippa made a noise as if in answer but Yenn couldn't speak owl. Yennefer was almost there, hands reached out to grab her prize when Philippa flew off. “Fuck!” Yennefer screamed out at the owl which circled around her head in a taunting manner and then dove away. “Fuck!” Yennefer screamed again when she realized she was now stuck up here with no way to come down.

* * *

“How is it that I send you to learn a lesson with Philippa on shapeshifting and I find you stuck on the roof of the building?” Tissaia asked, hands crossed behind her back and regal brow perched up. They were back in the Rectoress's room, and Yenn was just glad to be on solid ground once more. Tissaia had to levitate her down, Yenn definitely not screaming her head off as she was jerked off by an invisible hand and brought down speeding to the ground before being slowed down and gently dropped with a plop on the grass.

“And for the last time, don't get other people involved in your shenanigans,” Tissaia scolded. “Philippa here was very worried when she came to me to get help on getting you down from that roof.”

“But I-”

“I don't want to hear your flimsy excuses, Yennefer. Being part cat part human is not bonding well, for any of us, and you need to focus on getting back to your human form. Because at least then, I know how to handle you.”

Yennefer scowled heavily first at Tissaia and then at Philippha who shot her a smirk before making her face go neutral again. Oh, that little sneaky bitch! Yennefer didn't know what she was playing at, but she was going to take the woman down.

“We'll reconvene lessons tomorrow,” Tissaia added on, massaging her temples. “Both of you, get some rest. But first, Philippa, I must talk to you about a lesson plan for Yennefer.”

With that, Yennefer was excused from the office. She was left fuming as she walked down the halls. Suddenly, she didn't like Philippa nor did she trust her. But if Tissaia did think that Yenn was getting into too much trouble like this, for once Yenn was able to agree. Being partially cat like was...making her think weird things. Making her impulses control even worse.

And the most shameful part of it all was that she desperately wanted to find her way into Tissaia's lap and just live there. Her cheeks flushed at the thought. It wasn't even something scandalous, compared to the orgies she'd lead. And yet, it made her feel so hot thinking about it.

Shit, she really needed to get her mind right, or else she hated to think she'd be stuck like this for a while.

* * *

The next lesson with Philippa actually went normally all things considered. They worked on channeling magic, on trying to get it to take shape. Philippa had Yennefer first focus it on outside objects rather than on herself first. Which was solid advice and a good plan, given that Yenn's first attempt to turn a cup into a mouse left the cup screaming agony as it was turned into something in between those two forms.

“Fucking end me!” it shrilled in it's agony and Philippa, ever the consummate professional owl and mage, quickly ate it to end it's pain. Yenn's eyes bulged out wide when she saw the tail slithering past Phiippa's lips like a wet noddle. “What?” the red head questioned.

“Okay....” Yenn shook her head and turned away, not wanting to think anymore about it, or else she would retch.

Her later attempts were more successful in transforming objects into animals, but the use of this magic was tiring and the lessons didn't last long. Yennefer might have even gotten to like Philippa, since she was a good teacher, great at magic, and she had a sense of humor a mile long, if not for the fact that she was way too close to Tissaia.

Philippa was way too comfortable with Tissaia. And it hurt Yenn because she and Tissaia had kissed after all. So what was going on? Had....had Philippa and Tissaia had a sordid past? Ugh, those thoughts would not leave Yenn's mind alone! It was frustrating.

And it made her grind her teeth so hard, Triss had to warn her, “don't do that, or you'll grind your teeth down to stubs.”

And Philippa most often approached Tissaia in owl form. This way, Tissaia could not resist petting her or feeding her, or doting on her. Each time Yenn came into the office to spend some more time with Tissaia, Philippa was there, interrupting Yenn from talking properly with Tissaia.

It was going to drive Yenn up the wall! How much more could she take? Did Tissaia not know what was happening? But then again, Tissaia was dense when it came to flirting so maybe she really didn't know.

One day Yenn decided to confront her about it. “I think Philippa is trying to make a move on you.”

“A move? On me?” Tissaia arched a brow and scoffed. “Stop being jealous.”

“I am not being jealous! She eats up all my time with you!”

“Hm, sounds jealous to me,” Tissaia said, rifling through her papers and not paying much mind to Yenn's complaints.

Yenn stamped her foot, frustrated beyond words at how obtuse Tissaia was being. “You are being insufferable.”

“Yenn, go back to your studies.”

“But-”

“Yennefer,” Tissaia gave her a look and Yenn shut up, stomping back to her room.

The straw that broke the camel's back was when Yennefer came to the dining hall and saw Philippha in owl form, snuggled up to Tissaia's chest.

“Whose a good owl, you're a good owl,” Tissaia cooed as she petted the downy feathers. Philippa made happy noises and put her face into Tissaia's breasts.

Yenn could not help the growl coming from her lips. Those were her breasts to snuggle in! How dare Philippa take them. She felt an animalistic rage fill her, feeling the animal part of her reacting to the challenge this owl had set. Without thinking much, Yennefer lept across the cafeteria and landed on the dining table. She hissed at Philippa who merely hooted at her.

Yennefer wanted to let out a string of expletives when she found out she couldn't speak. All that came out was cat noises, and when she looked down, she found that she was back in her cat form. Somehow, in the need to lunge across the room, she'd slipped unconsciously into her cat form like it was second nature. Philppa fluttered off of Tissaia and landed on the floor where she turned into her human form. Feeling less angry and more confused now, the magic coursing through Yennefer's veins stopped and she could feel her human form coming back once her focus had been redirected.

She slide off of the table, knocking down the remaining cups from her sojourn up there. She had effectively ruined Tissaia's meal and she felt bad about it now.

However instead of being scolded for her catty antics, like she thought she would be, she was rewarded.

“See, you did it! Without even thinking!” Philippa said cheerfully as if Yenn's anger was a good thing.

“What?” Yenn blinked, still feeling the fires of rage inside her slowly dying down.

Tissaia too looked happy at this development. “Good job, Yennefer, you have mastered shifting forms.”

Yenn's jaw dropped open. “I did?” she asked in confusion.

“Tissaia told me that anger is most often the best motivator for you. So her and I cooked up a plan to make you angry. And it worked,” Philippa gleefully said.

Now Yenn felt dumb. “You both tricked me.”

“Not tricked, guided you,” Philippa amended. “You're welcome.” She clapped her hands together. “Now, onto the next part. Try to switch back from this form.” Magic swirled around Yennefer and she closed her eyes at the dizzying action. When she opened her eyes she found that she had been turned into a mouse by the witch before her and that Philippa was now an owl hovering over her. A very hungry looking owl.

She screeched angrily as her talons were raised. Yenn let out a frightened squeak and then booked it while everyone in the cafeteria ignored their antics not for the first time.


	13. Chapter 13

Being finally fully human for the first time in a long time, was nice. Yennefer hadn't known how much she missed not having to battle with her cat instincts that demanded she sniff this or sniff that, or try to climb up precarious surfaces to stare down at humans.

Admit-ably, and a bit shockingly, she found she did miss her cat ears. She found they had increased her range of hearing and allowed her to be more in tune to the environment around her. Also, it was nice when Tissaia pet her over her ears. Still, it was better to be human. Yennefer's sojourn with that bad fertility spell had lasted a long time and she had not meant to stay this long in Aretuza. However, now that she was here, she wasn't as keen to leave. Namely because of Tissaia. There were things between the two of them that Yennefer needed to address, and could finally address fully as she was now entirely human.

“Sooooo,” Yennefer drawled as she and Tissaia walked down the hallway, matching step for step, Yenn slowing down her gait so that Tissaia could keep up with her shorter legs.

“Spit it out, Yennefer,” Tissaia arched a brow, vaguely amused with her former students antics.

“I just....I just thought we should talk about what happened at the fake battle,” Yennefer managed to get out, feeling uncharacteristically shy. Like she was in some way asking for Tissaia's hard to gain approval once more back when she had been student and she teacher.

“You mean the destruction of property needlessly?”

“No, I've gotten enough of an earful about that already.” Yennefer paused before taking in a soft steadying breath. “I was talking about afterwards. When I kissed you. It's been a while now since it happened. What does it mean for us?”

Tissaia finally turned to look at Yennefer, her composure unruffled as usual, and that brow still arched up in vague amusement. “What do you want it to mean?”

“I was hoping-”

“Not what you hope. What you want,” Tissaia cut in. “Hope is for those who are powerless to do anything.”

Yennefer got it. Tissaia was telling her to be brave, to go for what she wanted. “I want us together. Not as student and Rectoress, or witch and witch, but as....something more personal.”

“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend, Yennefer?” Tissaia asked neutrally. How could she be so cool about all of this? It wasn't fair that Yennefer should be a nervous mess. She felt like a school age child asking out a crush for the first time.

“Yes,” Yennefer breathed out, glad Tissaia had the words to say it, because Yennefer wasn't quite sure she could.

Tissaia definitely gave an amused look at this. “Then I think I'll wait for you to properly proposition me it.” And then she hurried away, leaving a confused Yennefer in the hallways, gaping after Tissaia.

“Huh?” she gaped and then, as the words sank in, she flushed. Oh. Tissaia wanted Yennefer to court her. Well then, Yennefer would court the shit out of Tissaia.

* * *

A loud wailing woke Tissaia up at six in the morning, a good full hour before she was up for work. Grumbling under her breath, she stumbled to the window, throwing it open and blearily glaring at who was there. It was a troubadour, strumming on his lute and singing awfully.

“What are you doing outside my window?” she asked, making him pause in his singing.

“My fair lady," he bowed grandly to her, even tipping his hat down. "My name is Jaskier and I was hired to sing to you love ballads,” he announced to her.

“It's six in the morning.”

“That's when it said to come on my order slip,” he looked down and glanced at the yellowed paper, squinting his eyes. “Although maybe it meant six pm. My eye sight is quite bad.”

Then he started yowling once more.

Growling, Tissaia slammed the window shut and put a silencing spell on it.

* * *

By lunch time, Tissaia's office was filled with flowers. The fanciest bouquets of them, taking up every able inch of real estate. They were very lovely, and they smelled nice, but apparently Tissaia was allergic to this many flowers.

She could not get through her room without sneezing at least ten times each way and it was seriously distracting her from her work. Who had even sent her these many flowers? Was someone pranking her? Was the singing asshole from before also part of that prank?

As she sneezed yet again into her handkerchief, eyes red and watery from all the flowers, she decided, they needed to go. So, she called Triss and Sabrina for their removal services.

“'ake 'ese fl'wers plees,” she commanded them through a stuffy nose.

“What?” Sabrina asked, not understanding.

“Fl'wers, go!” she shooed at them and they finally got the message, grabbing as many as they could hold and delivering them to the botany class to be used as seen fit.

* * *

A whole ass orchestra wobbled into Tissaia's room by nine pm just as she was getting ready for bed. “Alright, seriously, what is going on,” she grumbled, barely able to hear her own thoughts over the sound of the orchestra playing. She waved her hands to try and get them to stop but they all seemed to ignore her, the guy with the cymbals just crashing them harder.

Losing patience, she called upon her inner chaos and turned it on their instruments. The trumpets wilted like flowers, the cymbals melted into soap, and the violins grew wings and flew off. The silence was now so loud it was ringing in her mind.

“Who paid you to do this?” she asked them, hands on hips and giving them her most dangerous glare. They all gulped and looked at one another but none seemed to want to say it.

“Very well,” she said stiffly. “I could always work the answer out of you through other....means,” she said and let fire dance across her fingers. Immediately she received a flurry of answers. All that accumulated to one word. To one person. Yennefer.

“Yennefer is doing all this? But why?” Tissaia mussed and dismissed the orchestra who were happy to go home. Except for one. “So uh, about my trumpet-” he lifted up his sad trumpet and she glared at him for interrupting her. “Leave or else I'll make your other trumpet wilt too.”

He gulped and covered his crotch with one hand as he left.

Tissaia tore down the halls of Aretuza in search of Yennefer. She had not seen the woman the whole day. Could she truly be related to this incident then? It would be shocking, merely confusing as to why she was doing all this. Tissaia thought they were on amicable terms now.

She could not find the woman anywhere in the castle and resigned, she returned to her room only to find Yennefer waiting for her at the door, leaning her weight against it.

“Yennefer, good. I've been meaning to talk to you,” Tissaia said and stopped in front of Yennefer.

“Did you get my presents?” Yennefer asked, arching a brow.

“Presents? Oh, you mean those nuisances?” Tissaia said with thin lips. “Indeed it does seem you are the one behind the madness.”

“Madness?” Yennefer frowned, uncrossing the arms across her buxom chest. “That was all me. I was sending you those things in an effort to _court_ you,” Yennefer said, slightly exasperated. She should have known by now that Tissaia was not only exceptionally bad at flirting but at anything romance related.

“Oh,” Tissaia's eyes went wide. “I had not suspected. But it makes sense why I hadn't seen you the whole day since you were so busy making sure everything got here on time.”

“Yes. But I can see now it was a waste of time to do that. I wanted to make it very romantic for you but I suppose I've failed.”

“You haven't failed, it's just not what I'm used to.”

“You've never been spoiled?” Yennefer inquired.

Tissaia gave Yennefer a soft smile. “I'm more....to the point shall I say. I appreciate you thinking you need to take it easy on me, but I haven't been alive for over four hundred years without learning some things,” Tissaia said, and then pulling Yennefer into her room by the front of her dress, locked the door behind them. Yennefer let out a startled yelp at this sudden turn of events but could not complain for long.

Suffice to say they did not come out for a long, _long_ time.


	14. Chapter 14

With a languid yawn, Yennefer sat up in bed and stretched, enjoying the way her bones popped with the motion. Tissaia's side of the bed was empty per usual at this time, the woman already dressed and on to business. Except it was a Sunday morning. What could possibly have her up this early?

Yennefer got dressed and made the bed, just in time. For Tissaia came into the room, clutching a white bundle in her arms. Yennefer quirked up a brow. “Tissaia, what is that?”

The older witch put the object down on the floor. It uncurled it's tail and yawned, showing off it's sharp teeth.

“I got a pet cat,” Tissaia said, dusting some cat fur off of her cloak. “You inspired to get me one.”

Yennefer smirked. “Admit it. She'll never make as good a cat as me.”

Tissaia smiled, just the brief curl of her lip corners. “Nobody could make a worse cat than you. Will you join me for breakfast?”

“Yes,” Yennefer said. Tissaia left first, Yennefer going to just grab a book she would return on the way when the cat meowed at her. Yennefer blinked her eyes. She could...she could understand cat? Was this because she had been a cat? But her eyes only got wider when she took the time to actually let the words sink in. The cat obviously was looking at her, lashing her tail. Despite her pure white and fluffy coat, she was no innocent.

“Tissaia is mine. Back off,” the cat said, claws sliding out in threat.

“Um,” Yennefer said and lurched out of the room. “Tissaia?” she called out worriedly after the Rectoress.

“Yes Yennefer?” Tissaia said without looking back.

“Did you know your new cat could talk?”

Now Tissaia gave Yennefer an odd look. “Cats can't speak human, Yennefer. Even magic has it's bounds.”

“Well no, not human. It spoke cat, but I could understand it,” Yennefer hurriedly explained.

“Are you sure? How could you understand it?”

“I'm not sure but I can. Maybe because I was once a cat and maybe because I can shapeshift into one at will now, but it's just that the cat said some very unpleasant things. She said-”

“Good morning!” Triss greeted cheerily, interrupting the two women. “Are you on the way to breakfast? Do you mind if I join?”

Yennefer actually minded very much because she was trying to tell Tissaia something important. But now with Triss here, Yennefer could no longer speak as freely on the new cat. She decided she should wait until she and Tissaia were alone once more since it was a private matter. 

However, that proved to be a harder plan to follow than suspected when all of a sudden, Tissaia and Yennefer kept being interrupted. Tissaia was called away for this thing or that thing and Yennefer could only scowl and bid her time until they went back to the room at the end of the long day. Once there they found the cat sitting elegantly by the window, licking a paw and swiping it over it's head.

“Such a well behaved cat, aren't you Princess,” Tissaia cooed as she picked the bundle of white fur up. “When I left you here, you made a mess of my room,” she directed this at Yennefer.

“Because you were not helping me from the predicament I got into! And really, calling the cat Princess? How cliché.”

“I think it's a perfectly suitable name,” Tissaia said. “Would you like to pet her?”

“No,” Yennefer crossed her arms over her chest.

“Yennefer don't be jealous of a cat. I'll still lavish you with much attentions in bed,” Tissaia said with the corner of her mouth quirked up.

Yennefer let out an angry huff. “I'm not upset about that. The whole day I've been wanting to tell you what the cat said to me, and she said-”

Suddenly the cat let out a loud yowl. Tissaia's attentions were immediately on it. “Oh, the poor thing must be hungry. Let me feed it,” Tissaia set the cat down and went to get the bowl of cat food. As she rummaged for her things, Princess looked over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at Yennefer. Why that annoying little creature! Yennefer felt her hackles raise even though she didn't have any.

This cat was trying to play her. Well, she wouldn't let it stand.

She was to prove to Tissaia what the cat had said. Yennefer watch Tissaia feed the cat, stroking it's head as it ate. There was a soft look on her face and Yennefer wondered if Tissaia had looked at her the same way when she'd been a cat.

“Tissaia, can I show you something?” Yennefer inquired, going to use this as a bait to draw Tissaia out of the room and out of ear shot of the cat.

“Of course.”

“But why did you have to bring the cat?” Yennefer complained when ten minutes later found them walking by the seaside of Aretuza, white bundle of fur in Tissaia's hands.

“I wanted her to take in the view of Aretuza,” Tissaia said. “I didn't want her to stay any longer in that room. It's stifling.”

“You could just let her go then, if you don't want her staying in that room,” Yennefer pointed out.

“Yennefer, what do you have against my cat?” Tissaia asked and they came to a stop on the sand under the glow of the moonlight. In it, Princess's eyes seemed to glow red. With evil.

“Well she-! Um, she.....” Yennefer stumbled over her words, horrified to find out she had entirely forgotten what it was the cat had said earlier.

“Cat got your tongue?” Princess hissed under her breath, eyes narrowed in amusement. Yennefer clamped her mouth shut. Oh this cat was going down. No two ways about it.

“Nevermind,” Yennefer mumbled out and swiveled on her heel, moving away.

* * *

That night in bed there seemed to be a space between them. A space normally where their entangled limbs met, except this time Princess was lying there. Like a wedge driving them apart. The cat's smug face taunted Yennefer as she drifted off to sleep. A fitful sleep full of white snow and red blood. It was so unpleasant that she woke up choking, only to come to Princess lying on her mouth and nose trying to suffocate her.

Yennefer immediately pushed Princess off of her, gasping for air. The cat sailed off with a yowl that woke Tissaia up. The candles went on, giving light to this dark room. “Yennefer what is happening!”

Tissaia scrambled out of bed, rushing to pick up Princess who was meowing pitifully and pretending to be hurt.

“What happened is that your new cat tried to choke me in my sleep!” Yennefer pointed out, still gasping for breath.

Tissaia's brow furrowed. “Choking you? How?”

“She slept on my nose and mouth!”

“...cats are drawn to warm air; it could be possible she didn't mean to do it,” Tissaia softly mumbled out.

“Seriously? You're taking her side over mine?” Yennefer spat out, losing patience for this. She thought Tissaia was going to be on her side? How could the Rectoress be so thick? Did she really not trust or give merit to Yennefer's word this much?

Yennefer threw back the covers angrily. “You know what, have fun sleeping here alone with your new cat. I'm going back to my bedroom.” She knew this was what Princess wanted, but right now, Yennefer would let her have the victory. She was in no mood to pick fights with a cat in the middle of the night.

“Yennefer....” Tissaia trailed off but made no sign to stop Yennefer. The younger witch let the door slam closed and left to her room, where she tossed and turned but eventually drifted off into unpleasant slumber.

* * *

The next morning found Yennefer in a foul mood that had everyone steering clear of her. People found if they tried to talk to her, she would magic their noses into harmonica's and with angry harmonica noises they would be forced to stomp off and find a way to undue this magic. Tissaia found Yennefer after she'd just made her 15th musical instrument of the day.

“We need to talk.”

“Go talk to your precious cat.”

Tissaia sighed wearily, like Yennefer was a rambunctious child and not her lover. “I'd rather talk to you,” she stated. Yennefer turned around only to glare at her. The library was quiet and empty at this hour only because Yennefer had kicked everyone else out.

“Why? So you can say I'm making up things again?”

Tissaia took a seat in front of Yennefer and folded her arms across her lap. “No, I won't say that. I'm not sure what to make of this, Yennefer. Princess is a cat, and yet you make such bold claims about her.”

“I'm not making this up for jealousy reasons. I have confidence enough to not be outdone by a cat.”

“You got jealous of Philippa who is an owl,” Tissaia pointed out.

“I've matured in the days from then,” Yennefer argued, crossing her arms over her chest. “Besides, it was all for sport, to make me use my magic. This cat...I don't know who she is, but she seems like bad news. What if she's a shapeshifter? What if she's here to hurt you after she gets rid of me?”

The Rectoress looked away, thinking over all this before she finally met Yennefer's purple eyes. Tissaia exhaled through her nose. “I just....I just wanted a pet. Seems it was too much to ask.”

“If you wanted to pet a cat so damn much you could have asked me. I would gladly turn into a cat for you. So you can pet and hold me,” Yennefer's cheeks flushed as she went on. “You're not the only one who enjoyed those nights on your lap.”

Tissaia chuckled lightly. “And here I was thinking you only enjoyed riding my lap.”

“Your lap has many great uses,” Yennefer pointed out.

Tissaia sobered up. “Very well. Let us focus on the issue of Princess then. I want you to spy on her in your cat form if you can, and see what she is up to. If she is really a threat to our school and to me and you. And I am....sorry,” Tissaia put a hand on Yennefer's shoulder, sincerity in her gaze. “I did not mean to throw away the fact of what happened last night so casually. I should have been there for you. I should have consoled you.”

Yennefer nodded her head, swallowing through a thick throat. She'd never imagined the day would come when Tissaia would apologize. But it had, and it felt wonderful.

Now, it was just a matter of time and spying to see what Princess was up to.


	15. Chapter 15

With Tissaia willing to believe Yennefer about how Princess was up to no good, Yennefer decided to do some snooping around as a cat. She turned back easily into her cat form, feeling it was as natural as a second skin to her now. Where once she had hated being a cat, now she relished the freedom this form brought, especially because she got so many head pats while in it.

In a ploy to trick Princess into thinking Yennefer was leaving Aretuza for a while, Yennefer staged a huge battle with Tissaia in her room.

“I can see you value your cat more than me, so I am going away for a little while!” she cried dramatically and slammed the door shut behind her. She could just make out Princess's smug smile as she did so.

Then, she waited a couple of hours and turned into her cat form. She would be wandering around Aretuza this way, and claim that she was owned by some student at this school as her cover story. Honestly, the lengths she had to go to protect Tissaia sometimes. But Yennefer cared for the Rectoress, and while Princess did not seem to want to harm Tissaia, just get rid of Yennefer, Yennefer could not be too sure.

She took to wandering around the school, making sure to stay out of the way of people so they wouldn't distract her with some good head scratches.

She instead honed in on Princess's scent and followed her to where she was in the library. She silently crept through and saw the cat, sitting in front of an open book and reading.

Um....? Something told Yennefer this wasn't normal for a regular cat to do. So was Princess someone like her? Someone who had gained the ability to turn into an animal form? A chill ran down Yennefer's spine. Oh, this could not be good.

Not good at all!

This meant they could have a spy in their midst. Yennefer would have to take care of this. Her claws slid out and she quietly crept up behind Princess, who sat on the table, oblivious and enthralled in her book.

Yennefer was almost close enough to pounce when Princess turned around and startled Yennefer so badly she fell off the table. Her body twisted at the last moment and she landed on her feet. When she looked up, Princess was looking down at her, no malice on her face.

“Who are you?” she asked.

Yennefer considered running away, but she was already compromised.

“I'm....Sabrina's new cat,” she meowed, trying to relax her fur.

Princess lept down, alighting quietly on her toes. “I'm Princess,” she said, fluffing up her fur. “And I'm the cat in charge at this school.”

Yennefer snorted. How full of herself was this cat? “I highly doubt that,” Yennefer sniped back. “There's no one in charge of this school, but the humans.”

“That's what you think,” Princess said, lashing her tail behind her. “But I have a plan. Humans are stupid and don't think highly of cats. But, I have brethren who are just waiting to flood these halls. And we will take over the school and everyone in it will have to serve us!” she meowed evilly. “And you can either join or be eliminated,” her claws slid out in threat.

It was even worse than Yennefer feared! Trying to remain calm, she inquired. “And how exactly will you do that? You don't have magic. These humans do.”

“I may not have magic in this form, but if I entrance the Rectoress well enough, she'll drop her guard. And then I can reveal my true form and take her on!” Princess strode up to Yennefer, giving her a good sniff over. Could Princess recognize who she was? Yennefer held very still.

“You smell like one of us. A human shifter. We could use your help.”

“I would need to know more about all this before I joined,” Yennefer said. “I don't even know who you people are!”

“Fringilla sent us, the great Nilfgaardian mage. She said if we could take the school over and destroy it, we would be rewarded greatly,” Princess said.

Yennefer's hackles rose. Fringilla was still at work? Yennefer had thought things would be calm for a bit longer after Sodden but it seemed not. She made her fur lie flat so as not to give away her anger at this situation.

“I see. It does sound intriguing. Better than spending my days mewling for food and affection.”

“I'm glad you see my point, comrade,” Princess said, dropping a wink. “Especially because you seem like a fine....cat,” she purred and Yennefer nearly let her jaw drop. Was this cat seriously flirting with her? Princess hated her human form but liked her cat form?

“But we do have to be careful,” Princess warned. “There's this woman named Yennefer who might be onto me. For some reason she can understand cat. I've managed to chase her away for now, but....if she comes back,” Princess made a slicing motion with a claw over her throat.

Yennefer gulped. “Right, I see,” she said.

“Good to have you on the team,” Princess added and then she went back to reading her book.

* * *

“Why do we have to meet up here?” Tissaia shouted over the loud wind. It made her hair messy and it ruffled her dress skirts something awful. Why oh why had Yennefer suggested the roof?

“Because it's the only place safe enough to meet right now,” Yennefer explained, back in her human form. “Princess is set on killing me if she finds me back here, and she's set on controlling you.”

“Killing you? Controlling me?” Tissaia echoed. She had no idea what any of this meant.

“It's a long story but she basically admitted to me that she's a shape shifter. And she's here to infiltrate Aretuza and take it over for Fringilla.”

“I should have known Fringilla had something to do with this,” Tissaia growled out under her breath. “What can we do now?”

“You sit tight. I'll do some light recon and find out all I can about who is involved and why.”

“This sounds dangerous. It sounds like it could get catty,” Tissaia mentioned and Yennefer scowled at the cat joke. Didn't Tissaia ever get tired of them?

“It'll be fine. Promise,” Yennefer said, approaching Tissaia and smiling gently at her.

“You better not make any rash choices,” Tissaia warned before kissing her softly for good luck. Yennefer smiled into the kiss, following Tissaia's mouth and elongating the kiss.

“A more pressing issue is, how are we going to get off the roof now?” Tissaia asked, pulling away.

“Uh,” Yennefer had not thought of that before. “I assumed you'd be able to get us down.”

“That's only if I'm _on_ the ground. Someone from there has to bring us down.”

“Wellllllll,” Yennefer sighed out, looking over the edge. “Maybe someone will come fetch us. You are the Rectoress after all. They're bound to notice you're gone.” She sat on the cold roof, patting a spot next to her. “In the meantime, I don't mind spending time with you. I have gotten so little of it recently.”

Tissaia sat next to Yennefer, unable to be entirely mad at the roof situation, because she knew she too hadn't been able to spend enough time with Yennefer. And it was her own fault. She had been wrapped up in work and then with taking care of Princess who turned out to be evil.

Maybe Yennefer had been the better cat.

“Yes, but we do have to get down,” Tissaia pointed out.

“Eventually,” Yennefer smiled that crooked grin of hers and leaned in and kissed Tissaia again. The Rectoress allowed Yennefer to cup her cheek and continue kissing her, letting go of her worries for once. She gave a shiver, as a cold breeze made her chilly.

“Hm, I can make you feel warm,” Yennefer suggested, purple eyes lidded. Tissaia quirked up her brow but said nothing.

Two girls, who were students of Aretuza, looked up at their ceiling from where they had been reading books on the floor, studying for their class.

“Do you.....do you hear thumping noises from the roof?” asked one, whose name was Jill.

Her roommate, Aberza, shook her head. “That just must be some birds or something up to mischief there.” They went back to their books.

More thumping ensued, slightly rhythmic. Jill looked up, concerned.

“Just ignore it, Jill,” Aberza said, not looking up from her books this time.

“But what if it's.....a ghoul?” Jill said, trembling and afraid.

“I told you to stop reading those Witcher books. Besides, there's no way a ghoul could get up there. And there's magic around the school,” Aberza scolded.

“Right,” Jill said, not entirely convinced and continued reading. Then they heard moaning.

“Um....”

“Just the wind, Jill,” but even Aberza did not seem fully convinced this time.

Suddenly, the ceiling above them cracked and two bodies fell through the rafters onto one of their beds. They groaned loudly, one of them sitting up. Their black hair was tangled and covering their face. Their skin was caked in white.

“A ghoul!” both girls screamed and ran out the room, running to find the Rectoress.

Yennefer barely seemed to notice them, pushing her hair out of her face and coughing lightly at the plaster that covered them. “Oh, look, a bed. Just what we needed.”

Tissaia sat up with an unamused expression on her face. She looked up at the hole they had made. “That is going to cost money.”

“At least we found a way off the roof,” Yennefer said with a shrug.

Tissaia sighed but found she had nothing else to say.

When she finally got back to her room, using magic to cleanse her body of plaster and to get her hair back under order, she found two frightened girls standing outside her door. “Rectoress! There's a ghoul in my room!”

She thinned her lips, not having the heart to tell them it had been her and Yennefer. “Let me go take a look.” And she spun around to go back to the room she'd just come out of.

The things she did for Yennefer, honestly.

A small smile threatened to break out. But she wouldn't have it any other way.


	16. Chapter 16

After dealing with the 'ghoul' and telling the girls it just must be a fellow student up to no good, Tissaia went back to her room, finding that Princess was there, waiting for her bowl to be filled. Now that Tissaia knew what the cat was up to, she was certainly in no mood to be kind to it. But she had a charade to continue. She couldn't risk Yennefer's hard work by not playing along. However long this would take, Tissaia did not know. But she hoped it was soon. Tissaia wanted this cat out of her hair. And she wanted Aretuza safe again.

Tissaia went to get the cat food and poured it into the bowl. Princess seemed mighty interested in something regarding Tissaia and as the woman filled the food, Princess got closer.

Princess bumped her nose into Tissaia's hand and sniffed it, before pulling a face and turning away. Poor cat, she'd probably just found out that that hand had been petting an entirely different pussy just a few minutes ago.

Speaking of, Tissaia should probably go and shower. She still had plaster in hard to reach places.

She went to go take her bath, Princess staring at her back, her beady eyes flashing red. Something was amiss.

* * *

Yennefer was enjoying a nice tongue bath on the balcony overlooking the sea around Aretuza. She swiped a paw over her ear, feeling warm and content, especially because she got to spend some quality time with her girlfriend.

A breeze carried the scent of Princess towards her, making her mood sour. What did the cat want now? It had been three days since Yennefer had started working for her. She was no closer to finding out who Princess had in her forces, but she was set on getting the information, one way or another.

“Lovely day, isn't it?” Princess asked, calm as a peach as she sat down next to Yennefer.

“I suppose,” Yennefer murmured, looking into the sunset.

“Would be a shame if something ruined it. Like finding out I was betrayed.”

Yennefer whipped her head to the side. “What do you mean-”

Immediately she was cut off as a paw sat heavily on her windpipe, pushing her down. Princess's face was an angry snarl.

“You're Yennefer! And I can't believe I thought you were cute!”

“Um, Yennefer? No, you must be mistaken. My name is Piglet!”

“Don't lie to me,” Princess scowled. “I smelled you on Tissaia. At first I was so confused as to why she smelled familiar. And then I went into your bedroom and sniffed you out. I know it's you Yennefer.” Princess pressed down harder. Yennefer began to choke.

She claws scrabbled at air. She refused to die like this. To die to a cat named Princess! Kicking out with her back legs, she made Princess yelp and move back. Then she sprung to her legs and attempted to skirt around Princess to run away, but the white cat was too fast. She swiped out at Yennefer, unbalancing her and causing her hind feet to slip off the balcony. Yenn's paws scrambled at the slippery metal. Princess looked down on her, evil grin on her face.

“Princess, help me. Please! You don't truly want to do this,” Yennefer pleaded, feeling time running about as her grip grew weaker and weaker.

Princess sank her claws into Yenn's paws, making her cry out in pain. Then Princess leaned in, voice a deadly whisper. “Long live Yennefer of Vengerberg,” and released her grasp, sending Yennefer plummeting down.

Yennefer let out a long cry, watching Princess get farther and farther away. “Nooooooooo!” And then her natural cat instincts kicked in and she landed on her feet on the sand below her, only about a story fall.

She was more shaken by this than she would like to admit but she was also stupidly relieved the fall hadn't been far. She looked up to see Princess was gone already. That was no good. Yennefer would have to take her down. She found a way back into Aretuza and followed Princess's scent. The halls were more deserted at this time of evening. Yenn found that Princess's scent lead all the way to the basement. It was darker and cooler here. The fur on her spine bristled.

“Right into our trap,” came the hissed voice and Yenn jumped, finding that cats were coming out from between the pipes and walls. There was about twenty of them that she could make out. Princess was naturally at the head of them. Princess had already gotten them inside the school? This was very bad. Yenn lashed her tail angrily, adrenaline pounding through her veins.

She shouldn't have come here all alone. She should have known better.

“Get her!” Princess ordered and they all lept into action.

Yenn booked it. The way she had come in was blocked, but Yennefer hadn't spent most of her years in Aretuza only to not sneak around in the basement after hours for no good reasons. She knew the layout like the back of her hand. She rushed through the damp corridors, the cats hot on her tail. She emerged back to the main floor, them yowling behind her angrily. Her paws speed up as she knew where to lead them to.

The botany class door was thankfully open and she rushed in, weaving under the plants there as she held her breath. Then she jumped up onto the table in the back and waited. They came in like a tide of brown and black, following her trail and slowing down as they came upon something she had come upon all those months ago as a cat.

Catnip.

They slowed down, lazing about, their blood lust dampened by the wonderful scent of catnip.

Yennefer smirked. Just like she had counted on. She turned back into her human form with a simple breath and then created some cages using her chaos magic. She plucked the cats up one by one and put them in the cage, the cats too blissed out to do anything about it.

Then she locked the cage and went to Tissaia's room. The Rectoress certainly did not expect Yennefer to show up with nineteen cats. “I heard you liked pussy,” Yennefer said with a cocky grin. “So I got you some.”

Tissaia shook her head at Yennefer. “The cat puns are my thing.”

“Ah, so you admit you were doing them on purpose!”

“I was. Only because how could I resist. They were too purrfect,” Tissaia said with a smile. She took the cage from Yennefer. “I'll take care of these. Good job, Yennefer.”

“I'm not done yet, Princess is still missing,” she reported grimly. “I'm going to find her and stop her.”

“Do you need my help-”

Yennefer shook her head. “It's personal with Princess.” She left at that, a woman on a mission.

Finding Princess turned out not to be so hard. Turning back into her cat form, Yennefer followed her scent, finding it wound up to Triss and Sabrina's room. The door was ajar, as if inviting her in, and this time she entered as a human, in case it was a trap again.

She came in and found Triss and Sabrina bound to a chair and gagged. They looked frightened. Yennefer rolled her eyes. “You have magic. Why don't you just undo your binds.” But they shook their heads in fear of that. They looked off to Yenn's right and she followed their gaze to see that Princess was there, but in her human form.

She was short, only up to Yenn's chest. Her hair was white and in a long sleek ponytail. She looked to be about Yenn's age. And she had fires burning in her hands.

“I am going to destroy you Yennefer, for daring to stop my rebellion!” she roared out. “Now you may feel the might of my powers.”

Yennefer made a psh sound. She rolled her eyes for good measure too. “You honestly think your magic can take on mine? I won't even need magic to destroy you!”

Princess growled out, pissed off at this insouciance. “Maybe I can't destroy you, but I can destroy your friends- hey, where did they go!” Princess gaped. All that was left was the chairs, and the loose ropes, the window wide open in this room.

“Oh, while you were blabbing in used my magic to free them and they left.”

Princess wasn't sure how to respond to this, so she went for a cutting remark. “Your so called friends don't even care if I pummel you! You have no one who cares about you!”

“The opposite, actually. My friends trust I won't need their help so they left.” Yenn let a fire ball come to life in her hand. “And they're right.” She flung it right at Princess.

* * *

“And that is the end of that,” Yennefer said proudly as they watched the authorities cart away the smoldering Princess and her comrades.

“I am grateful for you saving Aretzua,” Tissaia told her.

“Who knew all those months ago when I became a cat, it would actually end up saving the school someday.”

“I always told you, that you have potential and that you can go a great many things. You just choose not to most of the time.”

“Can you blame me? Being good all the time can be boring,” Yennefer said with a shrug.

“Come, I must give you your reward,” Tissaia said, leading Yenn by the wrist gently.

“Oh, a reward? Well, maybe I should be good more often,” Yenn said in warm surprise as Tissaia took her to the bedroom.

Tissaia paused at the door, throwing a sultry look over her shoulder at Yennefer. “And here I was thinking how I could show you how _bad_ I can get,” she said in a low voice.

Yenn flushed and allowed Tissaia to tug her into the room. And for the time being, they didn't have to worry about Fringilla or Nilfgaard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the end of this story for now. Unless I get some more ideas and then I'll add some extra stuff. This story was loads of fun to write and quickly grew much longer than I expected. I have plans to write a companion piece to this (probably coming out next Wednesday or something like that)  
> Anyways, thanks to those who read this. And thank you to the fan who made some nice Cat!Yenn art for this fic. Sadly, I don't know how to insert pictures in here, but you can find the images up on my Tumblr @wellthizizdeprezzing


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